A late brace by captain Gregory Lewis spurred Sporting Central Academy to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Barbican Football Club in a bustling Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) encounter at Barbican Football Complex yesterday.

Lewis netted in the 77th and 87th minutes to push the Clarendon-based team to 20 points heading into the Christmas break, while Barbican remain in 10th position on 14 points.

Both teams started out very casual in a less than enterprising first half which failed to yield a goal. However, Sporting Central Academy settled gradually and should have opened the scoring minutes before the break, but Francois Swaby’s right-footed effort was well handled by Nicholas Campbell in goal for Barbican.

The visitors maintained their momentum after the resumption and applied consistent pressure. They created numerous opportunities which they failed to capitalise on. The tempo of the game slowed with the hosts appearing content with playing for a point.

They were left thanking their lucky stars in the 73rd minute after Kemar Thomas’ intended clearance came back off the crossbar.

Lewis finally broke the deadlock when he drove home a powerful

right-footer to the far post. The wingback, who got promoted to exploit his ability as a midfielder, then completed his brace 10 minutes later when he headed in a well-weighted corner by Cory Hylton.

But despite the scoreline the game left a lot to be desired as the small crowd started filing out before the final whistle.

Winning coach Nigel Stewart acknowledged the win but insisted they need to do more.

“We are not happy for our position right now, we are trying to get into the top four, because there is where the semi-final is and we are going to work as hard as possible. Hats off to our captain today (yesterday) he had a very good game,” he told reporters.

His counterpart Raymond Beckford was left disappointed as the loss ended their two-match unbeaten streak.

“It was a hard-fought game… disappointed of course, but it’s football, we have to come better and learn how to remain consistent. We want to get out of the relegation zone and today we hoped we would have at least got a point to continue our upward trend, but such is the game and we just have to regroup and come better next time,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

In the other early fixtures, Humble Lion FC and Boys’ Town FC played out a 1-1 draw in a bottom-of-the-table clash. The two are now locked on 13 points with Boys’ Town currently being the cellar dwellers with an inferior goal difference.

Teams: Barbican FC — Nicholas Campbell, Mario McDonald, Ramone McGregor, Jermaine Parris, Akino Bailey, Dean Phillips (Shaquille Lewis 57th), Shawn Lawes, Jodaine Redwood (Shennar Parkinson 89th), Keno Simpson (Jamhoy Green 85th), Shavon Charlton, Kemar Thomas

Subs not used: Ashek Taylor, Dadrian Dixon, Andrew McLeod, Steve Green

Booked: Parris (31st), Bailey (81st), Charlton (82nd)

Sporting Central Academy — Romaine Bowers, Camaal Reid, Cory Hylton (Romoy Parkins 90+4), Dale Watson, Francois Swaby, Gregory Lewis, Kemar Drake, Michael Moreland, Mikhail Howell (Duhaney Williams 66th), Otis Friend (Andre Jones 83rd), Rupert Murray

Subs not used: Allien Whittaker, Christopher Thompson, Deron McLeod, Joe Cedron Diaz

Booked: Drake (41st), Friend (71st)

Referee: Jermaine Douglas

Assistant Referees: Nicholas Anderson, Oyinco McTaggart

Fourth Official: Karl Tyrell

Match Commissary: Andrew Payne