CATHERINE HALL, St James — Defending champions Portmore United suffered a major setback in their quest to peg back run away leaders Harbour View in the Red Stripe Premier League after they were held to a 1-1 draw in a bruising third-round encounter with Montego Bay United (MBU) at the Montego Bay Sport Complex on Sunday evening.

The draw left Portmore United (PMU) 11 points behind the leaders, having played one game more than Harbour View and the feeling after the game was that their hold on the trophy was slipping from their grasp.

Coming into the game, PMU had talked up their hopes of taking three points, but they were outplayed and outhustled in the second half that saw tempers flare and referee Cordella Samuels issue four of six yellow cards in a 25-minute span. She also had to break up several confrontations.

Suelea McCalla was well placed to give PMU the lead after 10 minutes, but once again Fabion McCarthy rescued MBU with another brilliant freekick in the 49th minute in a game both teams thought they had to win.

PMU’s coach Andre Waugh told reporters after the game that his team did not play “with the killer instinct” necessary for a team chasing the leaders, while MBU’s Dr Dean Weatherly said his players were “too anxious in the first half trying to get that early goal”.

PMU were left on 47 points, while MBU stuck to their sixth place in their hope to play in the top half of the draw in the fourth round. MBU are on 40 points, four more than seventh-placed Tivoli Gardens with five games to be played.

Waugh said it was “not the type of game” they had hoped to play, but admitted that MBU “played well” and disrupted their plans.

Portmore grabbed the lead after goalkeeper Garen Downie failed to cut off a low cross from the right side and the unmarked McCalla slotted home at the far left post.

Jermaine Woozencroft should have equalised in the 32nd minute when he had time to pick his spot, but he fired directly at goalkeeper Kemar Foster from about 10 yards out.

A sense of urgency crept into the game that was going at a reasonable pace and MBU created several chances late in the first half, but lack of composure saw them wasted.

After missing the goal with four previous free kicks, McCarthy atoned four minutes after the restart when he beat Kemar Foster with a ferocious drive that flew past the goalkeeper just under the cross bar to level the scores.

Dino Williams should have given the home team the lead in the 58th minute when he sprinted by two defenders down the left wing, but his right-footed blast beat the far post by inches.

With time running out and both teams desperate for the win, the game threatened to get out of hand, as tackles flew and the officials were kept busy separating players.

Teams: Montego Bay United — Garen Downie, Ladale Richie, Mauracio Gordon, John Barrett, Dino Williams (Odaine Gaynor 70th), Leon Irving, Jermaine Woozencroft, Allan Ottey, Keneil Kirlew (Kemiro James 63rd), Fabian McCarthy, Orlando McBayne (Graeme Green 38th)

Subs not used: J Barrett, D Ambusley, A Grant, O Braham

Booked: Ottey (21st), Green (74th), Gordon (86th)

Portmore United — Kemar Foster, Adrian Reid, Ryan Wellington, Rosario Harriot, Trevol Smith (Leon Pryce 87th), Damian Williams, Ewan Grandison, Paul Wilson (Adoah Nickle 57th), Ricardo Morris (Jamar Jackson 76th), Suelea McCalla, Stephen Williams

Subs not used: Carlloyd Walters, Rickardo Harriot, Andrew Christie, Kevin Deerr

Booked: Morris (26th), D Williams (61st), Reid (75th)

Referee: Cordella Samuels

Assistant Referees: Kedlee Powell, Oyinco McTaggart

Fourth Official: Oneil Watson

Match Commissary: Fitzroy Reid