Weymouth Wales missed an opportunity to cut into the lead on the leaders when the Digicel Premier League continued Sunday evening at the Empire Club ground.
After leaders Gall Hill were held to a 0-0 draw by Pharmaceutical Plus Cosmos, Wales were forced to come from behind to draw 1-1 with Pinelands.Â
Pinelands came into the encounter in desperate need of three points, lingering in the relegation zone on four points, while Wales were at the other end of the table, fourth on 15 points.
Pinelands pressed high and were compact in their defensive play, which never allowed Wales any real room to play their free-flowing passing game, not to mention the sub-par pitch, which was not conducive for that style at all.
Wales opted to employ the same defensive strategy, but Pinelands enjoyed this as they utilized the strength and power of Arantes Lawrence to either hold the ball up, which allowed the numbers in midfield to get forward, or play the ball on behind the Wales defence for his fellow forwards Marlon Headley and Dario Wilson to penetrate.
Pinelands were more industrious and should have gone into the break with the lead but their forwards lacked the quality and composure to break down Wales.
Wales started the second half slowly and paid for it as just two minutes into the second half when a cross from the right was nodded back across the goal area by Headley for an unmarked Lawrence to score from just inside the six-yard box.
The Pine boys continued to press for a second goal and pledged more numbers forwards. However, good goalkeeping by Bentley Springer kept Wales in the game and frustrated Pinelands.
As Pine went in search of goal number two, Wales were teeing up goal number one as they channeled particularly down the right-hand side with speedy substitute Anthony Forde who sent in some teasing crosses but his front men could not capitalize.
Persistence down the right hand side eventually proved fruitful as a cross from that area struck a defender and caught goalkeeper Kohbeay Taylor in an awkward position, who produced some fine acrobatics to deny the ball from going into the net, but Jadai Clarke was on the doorstep to tap in from a couple yards.
Wales almost grabbed the winner with the last kick of the game but Dwayne Stanford’s effort cannoned off the crossbar and out of play.
In the second encounter, Cosmos managed to limit another high-flyer in the Premiership.Â
After frustrating Mackeson Brittons Hill last Thursday in a 0-0 draw, they did the same to leaders Gall Hill, who possess a daunting front line, however not scary enough to intimidate a very organized Cosmos defence.
Claytons Kola Tonic Notre Dame continued their rise up the standings with a 2-1 win over Magnum Tonic Wine Dayrells Road.
In a far from convincing performance, the Dames managed to earn three points over neighbours Dayrells Road and move onto 13 points and secure fifth spot going into the second half of the league.
