Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer

Boys' Town's Damion Benjamin jumps to avoid a tackle from Arnett Gardens' Everton Bunsie (right), while Michael Campbell (left) looks on during their Cash Plus Premier League match at Collie Smith Drive yesterday. - Peta-Gaye Clachar

ARNETT GARDENS yesterday plunged to the relegation zone of the Premier League for the first time in many years when Oneil 'Chippy' McDonald netted the lone goal of the Collie Smith Drive derby in the 56th minute to hand Boys' Town a 1-0 win at the Tony Spaulding Sports Complex.

With many of their senior players watching from the stands and others such as Kwame Richardson and Leon Strickland awaiting the transfer window at Waterhouse, Arnett, which finished last season in eighth-place, have sunk to an all-time low under coach, Max Straw.

No coorperation

Citing a lack of cooperation from senior players, Straw fielded a young team yesterday with only Everton Bunsie, goalie Julian McLeish and Alex Thomas as regular senior players on the turf.

August Town's 3-2 victory over Village United in the relegation zone derby at the U.W.I. Bowl propel them a point above Arnett to 16. Daniel Shaw scored his fifth straight free-kick, from as many games, to lead his team to victory.

August Town's win actually sprang them to ninth in the table, up from next-to-last, taking them past Arnett Gardens on 15 as well as Sporting Central on goal difference after the Clarendon team was spanked 3-0 by Harbour View at Brancourt.

Harbour View are now on 23 points, as many as third-place Waterhouse, but trail on goals scored. Waterhouse face Reno tomorrow at St. Elizabeth Technical High School.

In other games, Seba came from behind twice to draw 2-2 with St. Georges at Jarrett Park and Tivoli Gardens pulled within a point of leaders Portmore, clipping the first-round champions 1-0 at Ferdie Neita Park to record their first victory over the leaders in three years.

Free fall

Portmore United's Rudolph Austin puts a crunching tackle on Tivoli Gardens' Jermaine Grey in Cash Plus Premier League football action at Ferdie Neita Park in Portmore, yesterday. Tivoli Gardens won 1-0. - Ian Allen

Portmore United's free fall from atop the Cash Plus Premier League standings continued when Navion Boyd scored in the 16th minute.

After starting the second round six points clear of Tivoli, Portmore have won just one match since, now losing two home games, to wipe out what was a sizeable lead atop the table.

Tivoli moved to 27 points after Boyd outran stumbling defender Adrian Mitchell on a long pass played into the right side of the box and luckily picked up a rebound after goalkeeper Shawn Sawyers rushed off his line, but failed to collect cleanly.

With a yawning goal yards ahead, Boyd hit home with glee, much to the delight of travelling Tivoli fans, who had watched their side embarrassed 3-0 by Portmore at home in round one.

Portmore's defence, for the first time this season, looked ragged and Boyd's strike partner, Jermaine Grey, wasted a grand chance to put his team two goals up two minutes later, blasting into the side-netting with Sawyers stranded off his line.