Portmore United maintained their place at the top of the Red Stripe Premier League table after a hard- earned 2-0 win over visitors Tivoli Gardens FC in midweek action at Spanish Town Prison Oval yesterday.

Javon East opened the scoring for Portmore in the 22nd minute before Ricardo Morris penalty kick in the 62nd sealed the three points.

Both teams were reduced to 10 players in minute 54 as referee Kevin Morrison was forced to red-card Tivoli’s Howard Morris’s and Portmore’s Maalique Foster after the two exchanged punches in an off-the-ball scuffle.

The victory pushes Portmore to 37 points, while Tivoli, who entered the match day in third place, stay on 29 points.

In a keenly contested first half, both teams pushed forward for the go-ahead goal, but Portmore wrested the advantage when Ricardo Morris fed a pass for East to score.

The end-to-end action continued, no further goal came before the half-time interval.

The second half began with Tivoli in the ascendancy, but inside 10 minutes a bust-up between Tivoli’s Morris and Foster broke their rhythm. Players from the two teams intervened to quell tempers, but it could not save them from being given marching orders.

After the brief interruption, Portmore settled quicker and doubled their advantage.

First-half substitute Rondee Smith flicked the ball over Tivoli’s Barrington Pryce and was fouled by the defender inside the 18-yard box. And Ricardo Morris sent Tivoli’s goalkeeper Nicholas Clarke the wrong way to convert the penalty kick.

Portmore appeared to go into their shell thereafter, sustaining the pressure from Tivoli and waiting to counter-attack in sparse numbers.

But the visitors were still able to craft chances.

Tivoli’s Junior McGregor missed a close-range chance after entering as a second-half substitute.

The attacker also went close with a free kick, but it sailed past Shaven Paul’s left-hand post.

In the end, they left the Oval empty-handed as Portmore held on to a clean sheet.

Teams:

Portmore — Shaven Paul, Andre Dyce, Osani Ricketts, Roberto Johnson, Keno Gayle (Henrico Ricketts 75th), Venton Evans (Lamar Walker 83rd), Chevany Willis, Roshane Sharpe (Rondee Smith 41st), Ricardo Morris, Maalique Foster, Javon East.

Subs not used : Kemar Foster, Sannekie Burton, Shawayne Nelson, Richard Coates

Booked: K Gayle (40th), M Foster (54th — ejected)

Tivoli Gardens — Nicholas Clarke, Shavar Campbell, Romaine Brakenridge, Barrington Pryce, Nicholas Smith, Tevin Shaw, Sean Coleman (Donavon Dawkins 58th), Authur Walters (Junior McGregor 63rd), Howard Morris, Marvin Stewart (Ajuma Johnson 75th), Elton Thompson.

Subs not used: Lloyd Tyme, Romaine Linton, Andrew Whyte, Obrian Reid

Booked: R Brakenridge (11th), T Shaw (51st), H Morris (54th- ejected), B Pryce (61st)

Referee: Kevin Morrison

Assistant Referees: Richard Washington, Stephanie-Dale Yee Sing

Fourth Official: Kasa Plummer

Match Commissary: David Galloway

— Sanjay Myers