Meadhaven's Keammar Daley (right) turns away from Rivoli's Enrico Beech during their NPL play-off match at Prison Oval yesterday. Meadhaven won 3-2.

KSAFA champions Meadhaven United assumed sole leadership of the National Premier League (NPL) play-offs following a 3-2 win over Rivoli FC in a top-of-the-table clash at Prison Oval yesterday.

An own-goal from Luke Soares in the 10th minute put the visitors on even terms after Devon Hodges had given Rivoli the lead three minutes into the contest.

Dawayne Smith gave Meadhaven the lead in the 18th minute and Leighton Neita added another in the 45th.

But a Patrick Beech penalty in the 76th minute brought Rivoli hope and ensured a tense finish.

"This game was really a tough one, but the players stuck to the task and got the job done. They showed they're true champions when they came back from the early goal,"said assistant coach, Lijyasu Simms.

Meadhaven lead the standings with maximum six points - three more than Rivoli and York, who turned back Wadadah (yet to get a point) 1-0.

Spectators had barely reached the venue when Hodges tapped home a rebound after goalkeeper Andrew Gibson failed to handle Derrick Planter's free-kick three minutes into the match.

But the lead was short-lived as Soares headed past his own goalkeeper from a corner seven minutes later.

Meadhaven took the lead in similar fashion when goalkeeper Shannon Bartley palmed Dawayne Smith's corner into his own net.

Shawn Hunter and Neita both wasted good opportunties to extend Meadhaven's advantage. However, the two c****ined to give their team a third goal on the stroke of half-time when Neita stabbed home a volley from Hunter's left-sided cross.

The introduction of Fidel Anderson, Enrico and Beech in the second-half saw an improvement in the home team's attack.
In the 63rd minute Soares had Rivoli's first real attempt at goal, but his well-struck volley dipped just behind the bar.
Minutes later, Beech controlled on his chest inside the area, but could only direct his shot to Gibson.

Rivoli's efforts final produced a goal when Beech flicked onto Hodges and the latter was taken down inside the box by Kenrick Brown with only Bartley to beat. Beech converted the resulting kick.

Rivoli's coach Jermaine Thomas said the loss was a minor set-back and his team will rebound from the defeat.
"We really conceded two poor goals, so defensively we made some mistakes," he said.