Boys’ Town failed to keep pace with Digicel Premier League (DPL) leaders Waterhouse at the summit after they surrendered a first-half lead to finish 1-1 with Portmore United in the first game of a double-header at the Tony Spaulding Complex on Sunday.

Former Portmore United midfielder Anthony Bennett fired the home team ahead from a free-kick four minutes before the break, but Ricardo Cousins secured a point for the St Catherine side with a welltaken goal in the 67th minute.

Boys’ Town’s coach Andrew Price thought his team could have wrapped up the match from the first-half and should have taken all three points.

“We got numerous chances to put the game away, but it was not until they scored that we started playing again. But we keep Portmore behind us (in the points standing) and one of the things we want to do is keep teams behind us,” he said.

Boys’ Town were slightly better in an intense first-half, but despite having the better of the chances, they could not convert. However, the best chance of the half fell to Portmore’s Errol Stevens, but he put the ball in the sidenetting with only Kirk Porter to beat.

Minutes before the interval, Boys’ Town were awarded a free-kick just outside the area and the former national youth representative, Bennett, struck a low kick around the wall that skidded off the wet surface past the sprawling hands of Garice McPherson in goal.

Portmore United came out looking the more purposeful of the teams in the second half and after threatening on a few occasions they found the equaliser.

Andrew Vanzie delivered a low cross from the left and the stocky midfielder Cousins cut across a defender at the front post before flicking the ball with the outside of his boot past Porter in goal.

Boys’ Town came back into their own afterwards but despite a few close calls Portmore were able to hold on for the point.

Portmore’s coach Linval Dixon said a draw was a fair result. “Both teams played well under the tough conditions, the two teams really fought hard and we are satisfied with a point,” he said.