Mount Pleasant Football Academy (FA) fought back to earn a 1-1 draw with Humble Lion at Effortville Community Centre on Sunday in the Red Stripe Premier League.

Rohan Richards scored a beauty in the 33rd minute to give Humble Lion the lead, but Kemar Beckford levelled the score in the 71st minute for Mount Pleasant to deny Coach Andrew Price his second win in two matches at the start of the season.

It also helped Mount Pleasant to earn their first point of the season, as they lost to Harbour View in their opening match after which Coach Donovan Duckie was sacked and former national striker Paul “Tegat” Davis installed.

Humble Lion are on four points and second in the standings behind newcomers Molynes United, who recorded their second victory by coming from behind to defeat The University of the West Indies FC 3-2 at Drewsland. Mount Pleasant are third from bottom on a single point.

Mount Pleasant FA had territorial advantage for most of the first half, which was played with puddles of water because of a heavy downpour of rain just before the start of the match. The rain also resulted in the ball shooting off the wet surface, which made it more difficult to control.

The St Ann-based outfit, however, failed to make their space advantage count, with Humble Lion countering effectively by breaking into attack with speed, causing some worries in defence for their opponents.

Former Humble Lion midfielder Francois Swaby created the first opportunity of the match for Mount Pleasant, who were kicking towards the hills. With Mount Pleasant in attack, Swaby switched the action from left to the right of the Humble Lion penalty area and picked out the unmarked Cordel Benbow, who fired over the crossbar.

It was from one of the quick breaks that Humble Lion took the lead when Richards, from outside the penalty area, neatly curled the ball with pace, with the outside of his foot over the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Joseph Vargas and under the crossbar.

Mount Pleasant started the second half once again with territorial advantage and went close to equalising when Jamiel Hardware’s free kick from outside the penalty box, slightly to the right, hit the crossbar and ricochet on the goalline before being cleared.

They eventually found the equalising goal with a strike that was orchestrated from the middle of the Humble Lion half, as they walked through their opponents’ defence with a number of one touch plays, with Beckford finishing from inside the six-yard box.

Teams

Humble Lion — Mikail Harrison, Kevon Reid, Linval Lewis, Shemar Rhoden (Girvon Brown 81st), Andrew Vanzie, Rohan Richards (Hugh Howell 63rd), Courtney Hill, Levaughn Williams, Lorenzo Lewin (Gregory Lewis 79th), Andre Clennon, Keniel Hyde

Subs not used: Dennis Taylor, Kirk Duckworth, Leonardo Jibbison, Romeo Wright

Booked: None

Mount Pleasant FA — Joseph Vargas, Suelae McCalla, Ladale Richie, Ricardo Campbell, Latroy Leing, Dwayne Harvey, Jameil Hardware, Daniel Green (Shaquille Notice 68th), Kemar Beckford, Francois Swaby (Johann Weatherly (61st), Cardel Benbow (Kevin Graham 68th)

Subs not used: David Swaby, Liston James, Rogelio Juarez, Evan Taylor

Booked: Leing (39th)

Referee: Odette Hamilton

Assistant referees: Stephanie-Dale Yee Sing, Damion Williams

Fourth official: Kasa Plummer

Match commissioner: Patrick Malcolm