Dunbeholden FC and Cavalier FC both scored identical 1-0 wins over Molynes United and Humble Lions FC, respectively, in the Jamaica Premier League on Monday at the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence as the curtains came down on match week four of the season.

Dunbeholden were enjoying their third win while Cavalier were securing their second, in a season that is already shaping up to be close and exciting.

After being thrashed 4-1 by Waterhouse last time out, Dunbeholden were eager to put things right and owe their win to midfielder Demario Phillips, who netted in the 67th minute, after Molynes were reduced to 10 men in the 58th minute when John-Christoff Pringle was dismissed by referee Doyen Tummings.

Dunbeholden had the better of the goalscoring opportunities in the first half with striker Deanandre Thomas coming close to scoring in quick succession midway the half. The first opportunity was an exquisite chest control and a rasping drive that went across the face of goal, but just beyond the far post.

Moments later Thomas was played in on goal but his shot from 16 yards again went across the face of goal and just beyond the far post, with Molynes goalkeeper Peter Harrison, a mere spectator on both occasions.

Ironically, Molynes United came very close to scoring just before half-time when a perfectly struck free-kick from their captain Nicholas Nelson, taken from 24 yards out, crashed against the crossbar.

It was a fairly even start to the second half and Pringle had a glorious opportunity to put his team ahead after he skilfully worked his way along the byline and got beyond Damion Hyatt, but was unable to squeeze the ball into the net from an acute angle, while under pressure from a defender.

Not long after Pringle was dismissed which changed the complexion of the game. Dunbeholden made their numerical advantage count as the Molynes defence dropped deeper to protect their goal.

Molynes’s failure to clear their lines, led to Phillips prodding home from close range, just nine minutes after his team began enjoying a numerical advantage.

Zelano Barnes had an opportunity to put the game to bed, shortly after coming on, but dragged his effort wide at the near post.

The win took Dunbeholden up to third place on nine points, three behind the top two, Waterhouse and Mount Pleasant who are locked on 12 points each. Molynes United prop up the table with a single point after four games.

Champions Cavalier, who had suffered back-to-back defeats after winning on match day one, welcomed back three of their more senior players in Jamoi Topey, Ronaldo Webster and Richard King, who had all missed match week three through a combination of injury, suspension and international duty.

Their presence in the starting line-up made the Cavalier team a noticeably better unit and they dominated possession over Humble Lions for the larger parts of the first half.

The speedy, youthful aggregation of the champions put the more experienced, but somewhat older Humble Lions team under some pressure which led to the opening goal from Webster in the 38th minute in a half void of many clear-cut chances.

Humble Lions had a much better second half with veteran Andre Clennon putting the Cavalier defenders under pressure. Clennon should have grabbed the equaliser for his team when left unmarked at the far post, but he was left holding his head after his shot went wide of the target.

Humble Lions Coach Andrew Price rang the changes in hopes of getting that elusive equaliser, but was left cursing his luck at the full-time whistle. Humble Lions now sit just one place above the bottom of the table in 11th place on two points. With the win Cavalier now jump to fourth place on six points.