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Arnett rally past Waterhouse for third straight win
September 23, 2025
Arnett Gardens FC scored their third straight win in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL), beating rivals Waterhouse 2-1 to continue the Drewsland-based team's wretched home form at Drewsland Mini Stadium, in Monday's late game.
Javane Bryan fired the home team in front after 52 minutes, but Roderick Granville equalised two minutes later and Shai Smith snatched the winner six minutes from the end.
The win pushed Arnett to nine points and into fifth on the table, one point behind Racing United, Portmore United, Montego Bay United and Chapelton Maroons, all tied at the top of the standings on 10 points.
Arnett head coach Phillip Williams said the game was all about being tough mentally.
"We knew coming to Waterhouse would have been a tough environment. Waterhouse played very good football, they had their moments, but we just decided to be patient and play on the counter and it worked for us," he said.
He added that the difference was that they did not panic.
"We were patient throughout, even when Waterhouse had the upper hand. We knew our time would come and that it's about converting our opportunities and that's what we did."
Both teams started brightly, creating good openings in the first half hour, with Granville getting the best sight of goal for Arnett, but his effort was blocked by a sliding challenge.
Mario Simms and Javane both had the chance to score for Waterhouse off the same play, but another superb block denied the opportunity.
The second half continued where it left off in the first, with Arnett's Fabian Reid testing Akeem Bernard and Bryan testing Anthony Bennett in the opening minutes.
Minutes later Bryan got loose inside the area, but cannoned his shot over the bar. However, the striker would get it right on the third occasion, when he found space some 25 yards out and hit a dipping shot past Bennett.
Arnett replied almost instantly, when Reid set up Granville with a delicate touch in a crowded penalty box, and the striker calmly slotted past Bernard.
Waterhouse had a chance to retake the lead after Bennett parried Bryan's shot into Rivaldo Mitchell's path, but Bennett reacted quickly to deny the forward.
Simms then slammed another good opening wide in the 65th for Waterhouse.
A minute afterwards, Bernard had to rush off his line to deny Reid, who had broken through the defence.
The chances continued to fall to Bryan for Waterhouse and in the 79th minute the striker could not keep his strike on target with the goal at his mercy.
Arnett would grab the lead with six minutes remaining when Smith swept home from a melee in the box.
It was Waterhouse's third loss in as many games at home this season, all after taking the lead, and assistant coach Jermaine Miller said they are working to get it right.
"We knew it would be a hard game against this Arnett Gardens team, coming off two victories. We created numerous chances and only managed to score one and after we scored, we let them back in the game because of a lapse in concentration, and then another mistake at the end gave them another goal," he said.
In the opening game, Spanish Town Police held Chapelton Maroons to a 0-0 draw, for their first point in five games.
