TUCKER, St James — Tivoli Gardens made a winning start to the 208-19 Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) season with a workmanlike 2-0 win over Montego Bay United (MBU) at WesPow Park in Tucker, St James, yesterday.

Howard Morris scored in the first half and Barrington Pryce killed off the game in the dying minutes when he converted a penalty, as Montego Bay United again failed to win any of their opening games in their eight seasons in the RSPL, losing three times to Tivoli Gardens.

Tivoli Gardens’ previous wins over MBU in the opening game came in the 2011-12 and 2013-14 seasons, and the Montego Bay team has drawn just two of the eight games played on opening day.

Yesterday they were outplayed for long periods in the first half by Tivoli Gardens, but had a better second period before giving up a late penalty.

The home team got off to slow start and allowed Tivoli Gardens to dictate the pace, and they created several early scoring chances. But Morris was denied by goalkeeper Zavhia Hutchinson in the 12th minute, going to his right to block a free kick aimed at the top corner of the goal.

A mistake by MBU defender Anthony Drummond in the 19th minute, when he completely missed the ball, gave Andre Moulton a clear run at goal, but the latter missed the far left post by inches with his shot.

Another defensive mistake, this time by debutant Howard Dent in the 23rd minute, gave Morris the room he wanted on the left side and he hit a curling shot into the far corner of the goal.

MBU brought in another debutant Giovanni Reid in the second half and he helped stabilse the team as Jourdaine Fletcher, who was playing his first RSPL game since the 2016-17 season, and Allan Ottey who had left the club last season, pushed the Tivoli Gardens team back into their own half for long periods.

The introduction of the veteran Dino Williams added to the MBU offensive thrust and he set up Fletcher on the left flank in the 68th minute, but his shot was blocked at the near post by goalkeeper Nicholas Clarke for a corner.

Another mistake by the MBU team led to the second goal as goalkeeper Hutchinson’s weak clearance went only as far as the middle of his half to a Tivoli Gardens player, who sent through Marvin Stewart who was clumsily fouled by Keneil Kirlew just inside the 18-yard box for the penalty.

In another match, Cavalier blanked Reno FC 2-0 at Frome, while the match between hosts UWI FC and Harbour View was postponed due to a waterlogged field.

Teams:

Montego Bay United – Zahvia Hutchinson, Keneil Kirlew, Jermaine Woozencroft (Dino Williams-67th), Nicholas Amponsah, Anthony Drummond, Shemar Robinson, Howard Dent, Nevaun Turner (Giovanni Reid-46th), Nazime Matalie-Grant (Omar Brown-79th), Allan Ottey, Jourdaine Fletcher.

Subs not used: Aian Miller, Odane Nish, Orlando McBayne, Winston Wilkinson

Booked: Woozencroft (21st), Kirlew (85th)

Tivoli Gardens – Nicholas Clarke, Barrington Pryce, Tevin Shaw, Kemar Seivwright, Ezron Simpson, Shavar Campbell, Marvin Stewart, Raymond Williams, Howard Morris (Sean Coleman-75th), Andre Moulton (Colorado Murray-37th), Michael Spence (Shaquille Jones-88th).

Subs not used: Horatio Nelson, Tiven Garnett, Newton Sterling, Hugh Evans

Booked: Simpson (21st)

Referee: Kevin Morrison

Assistants: Richard Washington, Melvin Reid

Fourth official: Derron Davy

Match commissary: Gregory Daley