Last season’s losing Red Stripe Premier League finalists Portmore United have gotten off to flying start to the 2017-2018 season with three wins and a draw for 10 points from four games.

Portmore lead the league with 11 goals, five of which came on Sunday against Waterhouse FC, and they look like a team on a mission.

A ruthless second-half performance against 10 -man Waterhouse saw them record the highest margin of victory on Sunday, and from the sound of things, that type of performance is likely to be replicated week in, week out.

Captain Ewan Grandison got the first and third goals of the match 20 minutes apart and credits the goals to the work he has been putting in on the training pitch.

“I have a job, as you can see I have on the captain arm band — so I have to lead from the front. I have been practising hard in training after I came back from overseas. The team is very competitive; every week we don’t use the same starting eleven, we keep pulling out players and rotating players to keep it competitive,” said the Jamaica international.

Javon East came on late in the game, but had enough time to find the back of the net twice. His first goal came in the 82nd minute when he slotted home to the left of goalkeeper Richard McCallum, the ball bouncing into the back of the net off the upright, before he had the easiest of finishes four minutes later with the Waterhouse defence all at sea.

“I feel happy with my performance I came on and delivered; worked hard to try get in the first team,” he said.

Being at the top of the table has been an added incentive for Portmore, which has helped team chemistry immensely.

Another Portmore player that had an eye-catching performance was new signee Chevany Willis. The player who transferred from Boys’ Town had a very good game in midfield, going from box to box and providing intelligent passes for his teammates. The performance was not lost on his coach, Shavar Thomas.

“I am very pleased, he (Willis) plays above his age, his understanding of the game is on a high level, so I am happy with how he is doing. I am very happy with how we have started the season. We are two points short of a perfect start so we are very happy; the captain led the way and it’s tremendous for us,” he shared.

Despite their table-topping start to the season, however, Portmore United are not having it all their own way as they lead fellow semi-finalists from last season, UWI FC, merely on goal difference and will have to maintain a high standard to remain where they are.

— Dwayne Richards