It was ‘as you were’ at the top of the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) standings after leaders Portmore United and Waterhouse FC played out a goalless encounter at Spanish Town Prison Oval yesterday.

The contest was by no means short of entertainment, as both teams traded blows with colourful plays in patches, albeit failing to get on the score sheet.

A lack of composure in the final third and good glove work, particularly from Portmore United’s Shaven Paul, was the order of the day and both coaches were content with a point in the end.

Portmore United inched up to 60 points, four ahead of Waterhouse on 56 in the battle for the $1-million preliminary round bonus.

Mount Pleasant FA remained in third on 54 points following a 3-2 win over the hapless cellar dwellers Reno FC (23 points), who will be relegated at the end of the season.

Seventh-placed Tivoli Gardens’ (39 points) hopes for a play-off spot took a dent after they went down 2-0 to eighth-placed Humble Lion (34 points), while 11th-placed Montego Bay United (30 points) kept their hopes of avoiding relegation alive with a 2-1 win over sixth-placed UWI FC (43 points).

Harbour View (34 points) moved up to ninth with a 2-1 win away to fourth-placed Cavalier (50 points), while fifth-placed Arnett Gardens (45 points) was held to a 0-0 stalemate by 10th-placed Dunbeholden (33 points).

As expected, the game started at a frantic pace with both teams making their intentions clear in end-to-end action to the delight of the fairly large spectator turnout.

A defensive mix-up by Portmore United almost proved costly in the second minute, but fortunately for them, goalkeeper Shaven Paul was able to get a touch on Andre Leslie’s effort from inside the 18-yard box.

Portmore replied shortly after when Javon East floated in a right-sided cross which bounced nicely for Emelio Rousseau who wired his left-footed effort wide of the target.

And three minutes later Paul was again called into action at the other end and he did well to get down in time to turn Nicholy Finlayson’s shot from a distance.

After both teams gradually settled in their stride and decided to play the possession game, Waterhouse again surged forward in the latter stages of the half and Paul again did well to deny Andre McFarlane from close range.

The momentum stuck with the Drewsland-based team on the resumption, as they camped out in Portmore United’s quarters with a marauding passage of play, leaving their hosts slightly flustered approaching the hour mark.