A 31st-minute strike by Cardel Benbow pushed Mount Pleasant Academy to a 1-0 win over Tivoli Gardens in their Red Stripe Premier League match at Edward Seaga Sports Complex yesterday.

In front of one of the largest crowds at the venue for a while, the visiting Mount Pleasant Academy of St Ann dominated early, got the all-important goal, then held on late when Tivoli Gardens turned up the pressure in search of that elusive equaliser.

Mount Pleasant Academy conquered west Kingston as not only did they beat Tivoli Gardens, they outnumbered them at Edward Seaga Sports Complex, a fortress over the years, which was turned into a sea of blue-waving, vuvuzela-blowing fans.

It was the third win for the promoted hotshots, as they rebounded from last week’s 0-1 defeat at the hands of fellow promoted team Dunbeholden. The Donovan Duckie-coached unit moved to 10 points and are level with Portmore United and The University of the West Indies, but are third on goal difference.

Tivoli Gardens, who really played well in the last 15 minutes, suffered their second-consecutive defeat and slipped from second to fourth with nine points.

The St Ann team also granted a debut to Panamanian goalkeeper Joseph Vargas, who gave an assured display, while Evan Taylor turned in a man-of-the-match performance in his first start for Mount Pleasant.

Winning coach Duckie was pleased with his team’s display, as they knocked off another seasoned campaigner and showed that they are indeed genuine challengers.

“It’s a good three points on the road. Everything in football is a continuation and last week we were very dismal in front of goal. It should have been 13-1 easily. It was just a bad day so we just have to continue to work, and today was a continuation and much credit to the guys because it was more mental than anything else,” said Duckie.

Meanwhile, Tivoli Gardens’ coach Omar Edwards praised his team despite playing without a couple of starters in Tevin Shaw and striker Andre Moulton.

“As a result, we had to find some other players and they didn’t do badly. We just have to be a little bit more patient in front of goal,” he pointed out.

“I believe when we went down we responded positively and had Mount Pleasant on their back foot, and we should have at least got a result from the game,” he added.

Eslewhere, champions Portmore United blanked Reno 2-0 at Frome and jumped three places to the top on 10 points. Rondee Smith notched his third goal of the season in the 60th minute and Hardly Barnes in the 81st completed the victory. Reno slipped two places to 12th with three points.

At Spanish Town Prison Oval, a 90th+2-minute strike from Johan Weatherly gave Harbour View a 1-0 win over Dunbeholden as they climbed off the bottom of the table into ninth on four points. Dunbeholden slipped two spots to 11th with three points.

Teams: Tivoli Gardens — Nicholas Clarke, Barrington Pryce, Nicholas Smith, Kemar Seivwright, Raymond Williamson (Sean Coleman 75th), Shavar Campbell, Rodico Wellington (Junior McGregor 63rd), Marvin Stewart, Howard Morris, Colorado Murray, Andre Dawson (Maurice Wilson 63rd)

Subs not used: Davion Goulbourne, Hugh Evans, Trevin Garnett

Booked: Pryce (38th)

Mount Pleasant Academy — Joseph Vargas, Kevin Graham, Ricardo Campbell, Gregory Lewis (Jahmika Hutchinson 53rd), Ronaldo Rodney (Romario Campbell 74th), Evan Taylor, Kevaughn Isaacs, Suelae McCalla, Cardel Benbow, Kemar Beckford, Devon Hodges (Kesslan Hall 69th)

Subs not used: Kadeem Davis, Horace Sharpe, Latroy Laing, Kareem Manning

Booked: Isaacs (17th), Taylor (45th), Hutchinson (70th)

Referee: Karl Tyrell

Assistant referees: Damian Williams, Rolanzo Bennett

Fourth official: Stefan Dewar

Match commissary: Ainsley Sharpe