CATHERINE HALL, St James — Former champions Portmore United made a winning return to the Red Stripe Premier League beating Montego Bay United (MBU) 2-0 at the Montego Bay Sports Complex on Sunday with two second half goals from Ricardo Morris.

After a year out of the RSPL, Portmore United are the early leaders after one game with defending champions Arnett Gardens yet to play in what coach Jeffrey Hewitt described “a statement win”.

Morris, who spent some time with the MBU team last year while Portmore played in the Confederation League, exploited a sluggish MBU team with goals in the 63rd and 73rd minutes, the latter a swivelling left-footed volley from well outside the area.

It was déjà vu for MBU as they have failed to win any of their five opening games, and have been outscored 8-3, losing four and drawing 1-1 against Reno a year ago at the same venue when they were defending champions.

MBU’s new coach, American Timothy Hankinson, was far from pleased with his team’s performance saying, “it was not good enough”.

The St James side have lost their last four competitive games dating back to the final of the RSPL last season and two Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League games, outscored 10-0.

Hewitt told the Jamaica Observer that despite earning promotion back to the top league, his team did not come into the game as underdogs as they expected to win.

“We are excited, but at the same time we were confident coming in based on how we trained and how we looked coming out of the sessions,” he said. “We knew Montego Bay United is a quality team, but in order for us to solidify our position and being a real contender in the RSPL, we needed to make a statement and we came here to make that statement and we are really proud of the guys.”

For the most part, he said the team played to instructions. “Tactically we executed well, we knew we could catch them on the breaks and that was how we scored the first goal,” he explained.

Hankinson, who has been with the MBU team about a month now, said his team did not show enough quality and paid the price.

“The possession was not comfortable enough. Were hitting the long balls which was not what we were looking to do,” he said. “That confidence to knock the ball around and build chances was not evident enough throughout the match,” the American added.

The teams combined for two chances in the first 45 minutes, MBU’s Dino Williams saw his shot blocked by Portmore United goalkeeper Shaven Sean Paul in the 18th minute, while Omar Daley dribbled across the MBU area in the 43rd minute, but his shot from the right channel went wide.

Allan Ottey used his speed to get past two Portmore defenders in the 55th minute, but once again the Portmore goalkeeper came off his line to pluck off the striker’s boots.

Four minutes after seeing their first real shot at goal easily saved by MBU goalkeeper Jacomeno Barrett, Portmore took the lead when Morris cut across the defence to his right and shot back across the goal into the far corner.

MBU hit the left upright in the 71st minute, but Morris’s acrobatic effort two minutes later with his left boot saw the ball fly past Barrett and into the goal.

Teams:

Montego Bay United — Jacomeno Barrett, Dwayne Ambusley, Orlando McBayne, Quante Abbott-Hill-Smith, Winston Wilkinson, John Barrett, Keniel Kirlew, Jermaine Woozencroft, Allan Ottey (Kashief Brown 68th), Ronaldo Rodney Donovan Carey 46th), Dino Williams.

Subs not used: Garen Downie, Ramone Sibley, Jerome Haughton, Graeme Green, Kemar Drake

Booked: Allan Ottey (57th)

Portmore United — Shaven Sean Paul, Ryan Wellington, Damano Solomon, Stephen Williams, Roberto Johnson, Ewan Grandison, Kemar Phillpot (Suelae McCalla 58th), Paul Wilson, Ricardo Morris (Aldaine Grant 79th), Omar Daley, Iishmale Currie (Sievon Thompson 86th).

Subs not used: Tyrone Williams, Osani Ricketts, Kambuji McCalla, Cleon Pryce

Booked: Morris-11th, Solomon-48th, Wilson-67th, Johnson-85th

Referee: Dwight Royal

Assistants: Antoinette Williams, Melvin Reid

Fourth Official: Deron Davey

Match Commissary: Marlene Brown