SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — Appleton Estate formalised their status as St Elizabeth FA/Charley’s JB Rum Major League champions despite being second best to Black Star in their second-leg final at St Elizabeth Technical High School on Saturday evening.

The game ended 1-1 on the day, but Appleton took the tie 4-1 on aggregate.

Xavier Harvey, the best player on the field on Saturday, had slotted Black Star into the lead on 58 minutes. But the Black River side, which missed a number of chances, ultimately paid the price for the 0-3 defeat they suffered in the first leg.

Appleton’s goal came courtesy of Gerald Hibbert’s 88th-minute equaliser.

Having won the mid-season title earlier in the season, the result means Appleton finished their Major League campaign with two trophies and will now represent St Elizabeth in the South Central Confederation Super League play-offs.

“I’m happy that we won the competition, but I’m disappointed in the performance,” said Appleton coach Damion Mullings.

“We didn’t play to instruction. We were too complacent and it’s because we won the first leg 3-0,” he added.

Looking forward to the South Central play-offs, where Appleton will battle the Major League champions from Clarendon, Manchester and St Catherine for a chance to contest the National Premier League play-offs, Mullings said his team will have to improve.

“We have to work much harder,” he said. “The players have to show more commitment, so we have to go back to training and plan our way forward.”