Young Men’s Social Club 2 Dandy Town 2

David Jones Jr scored twice to secure Dandy Town a 2-2 draw with former team Young Men’s Social Club at Police Field yesterday.

Both sides traded possession in a frantic and physical first half, but Town were by far the more composed on the ball, creating numerous chances.

Their first clear-cut opening came on 18 minutes when Jahzardae Samuels played an angled through ball into the left channel for Jones to latch on to, and he outmuscled the closest defender, Jakida Robinson, before striking towards goal. But veteran Social Club goalkeeper Ryan Evans was equal to it, making a reflex save.

Minutes later, Town midfielder Terrance Webb picked out fellow winger Oneko Lowe in space on the left flank minutes later, and he fizzed a pass into Jahkhari Furbert, who had drifted inside from the opposite flank, and Furbert neatly turned Kelvon Butterfield before driving a shot at goal, but again Evans made another excellent save.

The visitors continued to probe in the scorching Prospect heat and Samuels himself was left in glorious isolation on the edge of the box following a corner, which Town captain Tomiko Goater drove in from the right side. Edry Moore flicked the set-piece on, but Social Club failed to clear and Samuels drove a half-volley through a crowd of Social Club defenders into the base of the far post, with Evans rooted on his line.

Town got the lead that their attacking intent and composure deserved just after the half-hour. This time, Jones got to the ball ahead of poor judgment from Social Club keeper Evans, and curled a finish into the far corner leaning back from a tight angle.

Town started the second half more likely to score, and Samuels nearly did so within four minutes of the restart, firing wide from 20 yards.

Social started to show signs of their quality just after the hour from a set-piece. The corner was headed back out to its original taker Ryan Parris, who whipped another ball into the back post, but neither Pierre Smith or Jesse James-Seymour could get the final touch.

But they got their equaliser with 20 minutes remaining when Parris whipped in a free kick and Jinairo Johnston was unmarked to glance home past Town shot-stopper Azir Harvey to make it 1-1.

Minutes after equalising, Social Club took a 2-1 lead direct from a corner as Smith spotted Harvey unsighted by several players on the far post, and he whipped his set-piece through the space that crowd occupied and into the goal.

But Social Club were unable to hang on for a precious win. Town grabbed an equaliser six minutes from the end, with Samuels feeding a beautiful ball to substitute Angelo Simmons, who cut back for Jones, whose cute back-heel finish beat Evans at his near post.

SCORERS

Young Men’sSocial Club: Johnson 70, Smith 76

Dandy Town: Jones 32, 84

TEAMS

Young Men’sSocial Club (4-2-3-1): R Evans 6 – M Hardtman 5, K Butterfield 5, K Smith 6, J Richardson 5 – R Parris 6, J Johnston 7 – P Smith 6, A Matthews 5 (sub: T Tucker, 62min 5), M Wilson 6 (sub: J Mallory, 62 5) – J James-Seymour 6. Substitutes not used: M Johnston, B Swan, S Tuzo, T Butterfield. Booked: J Johnston

Dandy Town (4-3-3): A Harvey 5 – E Outerbridge 5, D Leverock 5, E Moore 5 (sub: A Simmons, 81), E Blankendal 6 – J Samuels 5, T Webb 6, T Goater 6 – O Lowe 6 (sub: D Leverock, 88), D Jones Jr 7, J Furbert 6. Substitutes not used: T Smith, T Place; Booked: Outerbridge, Leverock, Webb, Samuels.

Referee: A Francis.