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Arnett run riot over misfiring Humble Lions
January 31, 2025
Humble Lions sank to their third defeat in a row in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) as Arnett Gardens made light work of the Clarendon-based club in a 5-1 win at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex last night.
Goals from Chevany Willis, Warner Brown, Jaheim Thomas, and Giovanni Taylor created a winning path for the Junglists as they returned to winning ways.
Arnett Gardens head coach, Xavier Gilbert, praised his team.
"We created quite a number of opportunities, especially in the first half," Gilbert said. "We managed to get five goals tonight, we scored five goals against them last season, and I think it was the same scoreline."
Willis wasted little time in getting the ball rolling as with less than a minute on the clock, he opened the scoring when he was found in a space on top of the box.
He struck gold with a smoothly hit grass cutter that slid into the lower right corner of the net.
Brown had the opportunity to double Arnett's lead in the 25th minute when he latched on to a cross from Jermy Nelson, but his final effort was sent high over the crossbar.
However, he would make amends in the 42nd minute as he slotted home with, perhaps, the easiest opportunity of the night.
With a smart display of attacking instinct, Brown was quick to turn home from close range as an initial shot from Rushike Kelson was parried into his path.
Humble Lions would get their string of opportunities in the first half but were found wanting as they could not convert chances to pull the game level.
The night would worsen for the visitors as Afiba Chambers was the guilty party in an ill-timed challenge in the box that allowed for Thomas to add the night's third from the penalty spot in the 51st minute.
Debutant Taylor added the fourth of the night with a well-taken free kick that left goalkeeper Peter Harrison rooted to the spot before bagging his brace three minutes later, combining with Fabian Reid to slip a shot under the arms of Harrison.
Barnett added a consolation effort for Humble Lions in the later stages of the match as he was left unmarked in the box from a corner delivery.
Alex Thomas, head coach of Humble Lions, rued his team's continued poor performance in front of goal as he felt his team had early opportunities to change the game's momentum.
"We had our session the other day, and we saw from the Molynes game that we have not been putting away our chances," Thomas said. "Goals win matches, and we got a lot of chances tonight. If we had scored our chances then the result would have been different," Thomas said.
The result sees Arnett sitting third in the standings with 42 points, two behind Montego Bay United and 10 points behind league leaders Mount Pleasant.
For Humble Lions, it is another week at the foot of the table as they sit rock bottom on 14 points, trailing two points behind fellow relegation-embattled Harbour View.
In the day's other game at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex, Cavalier Soccer Club and Tivoli Gardens FC battled to a goalless finish.
Fifth-place Cavalier advanced to 35 points, the same as Portmore United, which have a better goal difference. Tivoli Gardens stayed seventh, moving to 28 points.
