RELEGATION strugglers Portmore United rallied from a goal down to beat Boys’ Town 2-1 at Collie Smith Drive as the third round of the Digicel Premier League continued yesterday.

The victory, which was Portmore’s first in 10 outings, lifted the former four-time champions from 11th to ninth position on goal difference in the 12-team table on 27 points. Conversely, Boys’ Town were losing their third straight league match.

In another early games yesterday, Humble Lions and Sporting Central drew 1-1 in their Clarendon derby at Brancourt, while it was goalless between Village United and Rivoli United at the Elliston Wakeland Centre.

The Red Brigade, who started the father and son combination of Marvin Morgan Sr and Jr in midfield, took the lead in the 15th minute through a George Vernal header.

Defensive midfielder Daemon Benjamin had supplied a perfectly-weighted cross from the right flank to assist Vernal with his fifth goal of the season.

However, Portmore equalised within two minutes via a another headed goal by Carlington Smith.

Smith had earlier missed a sitter from 10 yards after Steven Morrissey turned his marker and found him unmarked with only Boys’ Town custodian Kirk Porter to beat.

midfielder Mario Swaby secured the win for the visitors in the 36th minute by tapping home a cross by Morrissey.

The wily striker had beaten his marker Carlos Wright on the right wing before whipping in the cross to the back post to Swaby.

The win was the first for newly-appointed head coach Neville ‘Bertis’ Bell in his third league match in charge.

“I was kind of hoping for it because I lost the first one, we tied the second and now we’ve won the third one. I thought we played really well in the first half,” Bell told the Observer.

It was only Portmore’s sixth win from 24 matches all season.

“I think the team, (becuaes) they haven’t won for so long that, (they) just wanted to defend it (the 2-1 lead)… but in the end it worked for us and we’re happy for the win,” the former national youth coach added.

Boys’ Town coach Andrew Price was not with his team’s lacklustre performance.

“I’m very disappointed you know, because we took the lead and we didn’t sustain it,” Price said. “We gave up two soft goals because of poor marking defensively and we weren’t communicating at the back,” he added.

TEAMS:

Boys’ Town — Kirk Porter, Marvin Morgan Sr (58th Romondo Johnson), Asrick Samuels, Daemon Benjamin, Carlos Wright, Michael Campbell (70th Peter Keyes), Shawn McKoy, Marvin Morgan Jr, Andre Wheeler (Renae Lloyd), Jahmeil Hardware, George Vernal.

Subs not used: Kenardo Smith, Anthony Bennett, Philmore Crumbie, Oneil McDonald.

Booked: Marvin Morgan Sr (55th), Asrick Samuels (73rd).

Portmore United — Dwayne Kerr, Anthony Modeste, Andrian Reid, Tyrone Sawyers, Mario Swaby, Bryan Bayliss (46th Wolry Wolfe) (Ricardo Cousins 76th), Steven Morrissey, Andre Darby, Carlington Smith, Michael Binns, Andre Campbell.

Booked: Andre Darby (53rd).

Subs not used: Andrian Mitchell, Roen Nelson, Garice McPherson, Shauntel Mundle.

Referee: Raymond Bogle.

Assistants: Stephen Brown & Lloyd Edwards.

Fourth official: Lewin Purser

Match Commissary: Charles Barrett.