National representative Cory Burke grabbed a brace to lead champions Portmore United to a 2-0 win over rivals Mount Pleasant Football Academy and continue their ascension up the Red Stripe Premier League standing yesterday.

Burke struck in the 16th and 38th minutes of play in the lukewarm contest that attracted a large crowd to Spanish Town Prison Oval.

With the win, Portmore United extended their unbeaten run to four games. They climbed into sixth position with 18 points, while Mount Pleasant FA, who had their six-match unbeaten run snapped, remain second with 22 points.

Last year’s beaten finalists Waterhouse FC (30 points) pulled farther away from the pack following a 2-1 win over fifth-placed Humble Lion (18 points) at Effortville Community Centre in Clarendon.

Also in Clarendon, hosts Vere United broke an 11-match winless run with a 3-0 beating of fellow promoted outfit Molynes United at Wembley Centre of Excellence. Vere United inched up to 11th position on 11 points, while Molynes United, now seven games without a win, stay third on 20 points.

Eighth-placed Cavalier inched up to 15 points after coming from behind for a 1-1 stalemate with 10th-placed The University of the West Indies (UWI) FC, who moved up to 12 points.

At Prison Oval, both teams started positively, but Portmore United grabbed the ascendancy when Burke fired home from close range after Mount Pleasant’s defenders failed to clear their lines.

Mount Pleasant played their part and had a few good attacking breaks, but found Portmore United’s defence in a defiant mood.

The same could not be said of Mount Pleasant’s defensive line, which was caught napping when Kareem Banton broke down the left channel before playing a cross in for Burke to toe past the hapless Kadeem Davis in goal.

The St Ann-based team tried to pull one back but Kemar Beckford’s stinging right-footed free kick from 20 yards out came at a decent height for Kemar Foster to parry, diving to his left, as Portmore United went to the half-time break 2-0 up.

Portmore United regained momentum upon the resumption, but failed to create any meaningful chance to add to their tally, while Mount Pleasant were left ruing their missed chances. Three of them fell nicely for substitute Kesslon Hall at the back end of the contest.

Hall went on a break in the 74th to delicately lift one over the head of the advancing Foster, but the lack of venom on the effort allowed the recovering defender to mop up.

In the 87th minute, Hall again found himself in the danger area, arriving at the far post to a cross from Latroy Laing, but somehow he managed to steer a left-footed effort wide from close range.

And the luckless striker left his team in further despair as he again fired wide of the target from a clear one-on-one situation with Foster.

Teams: Portmore — Kemar Foster, Ryan Wellington, Osani Ricketts, Roberto Johnson, Emelio Rousseau, Damian Williams (Siegle Knight 72nd), Kareem Banton (Lamar Walker 65th), Tevin Shaw, Shai Smith, Rondee Smith (Courtney Allen 81st), Cory Burke

Subs not used: Shaven Paul, Romaine Brackenridge, Jehvante Hoquee, Romaine Bowers

Booked: Williams (61st), Foster (75th), Johnson (90+3)

Mount Pleasant — Kadeem Davis, Latroy Laing, Ladale Richie, Ricardo Campbell, Sue-lae McCalla, Alwayne Harvey, Ronaldo Rodney (Kesslon Hall 62nd), Jamiel Hardware (Evan Taylor 62nd), Kemar Beckford, Jourdain Fletcher, Cardel Benbow (Shaquille Notice 75th)

Subs not used: Joseph Vargas, Liston James, Kevin Graham, Johann Weatherly

Booked: none

Referees: Oshane Nation

Assistant referees: Jasett Kerr, Stephanie Yee Sing

Fourth official: Nerissa Goldson

Match Commissary: Fitzroy Reid

—Sherdon Cowan