Champions return to final four - Ainsworth super strike helps Cavalier past Waterhouse

Cavalier advanced to the semi-finals of the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) after scoring a 2-0 win over Waterhouse in Wednesday's second-leg quarter-final at the National Stadium for a 4-2 aggregate win.

Dwayne Allen fired the champions into the lead in the 29th minute, and Christopher Ainsworth sealed the win from a free kick in the 79th.

Assistant coach David Laylor said his team showed their championship mettle on the night.

"The players really turned up. All of them. They turned up and they delivered. You could see the difference in how they play. You saw the real Cavalier come out today (Wednesday)," he said.

Waterhouse dictated the tempo for most of the first half, prodding and always looking for openings, but Cavalier were not overawed by their opponents’ ball movement this time around and always looked to threaten in transition.

It was the defending champions who forged ahead when Allen latched on to a long ball in the box, and although his header was saved by Roje Williams, the rebound fell to the midfielder, who tapped home from close range.

Stunned by the opening goal, Waterhouse took some time to regain their stride, and although they got their rythym back, the Cavalier defence kept them at bay for the most part.

After the interval, it was very much the same, with Waterhouse searching for ways through, but found a very disciplined and well-organised Cavalier defence giving very little away, while always looking to hit on the counter.

As the game grew, Waterhouse got more dangerous and Neron Barrow had a dangerous ball across the goal deflected for a corner.

From that corner, Cavalier had a close call, but the ball was cleared after a melee. 

Minutes later, Javane Bryan broke through, but his effort was deflected wide. Kimarley Scott almost added a second for Cavalier, after he broke away and dismissed goalkeeper Williams, but backtracking defenders prevented the forward from getting a clean strike at goal.

However, they would get the second moments later, after they were awarded a free kick just outside the box, and Ainsworth curled a precise shot past Williams to make it 2-0.

Despite pushing Cavalier back and coming close through Denardo Thomas and Williams, Cavalier held on for the clean sheet and a place in the last four.

Waterhouse coach Javier Ainstien thought his team was disorganised in defence and wasted their chances at the other end.

"Congratulations to Cavalier, a very organised and disciplined team. The difference between them and us in these two matches is, they defended better than us.

"These two matches, we weren't the same team. At the same time, we created the chances, but we weren't defending good in these two matches. But my pain is that we finished without order, and that is the difference between us and Cavalier," he commented.

Cavalier will face Montego Bay United in the semi-finals.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com