Dunbeholden Football Club stretched their unbeaten run to eight games, and with it kept their lead atop the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) after clipping Molynes United 2-1 in a lukewarm encounter at Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Monday.

Peter McGregor, who has been in good form since returning to the island from his stint in Sweden, continued in said vein, scoring both goals for Dunbeholden in the fourth and 18th minutes to take his tally to six goals in the season.

Former Edwin Allen standout Jaheim Harris (25th) pulled one back for Molynes United that ended with 10 players after Sergeni Frankson was shown a red card by referee Tyrone Robinson.

The win saw Dunbeholden moving up to 35 points, now four clear of Arnett Gardens, on 31 points and five clear of Waterhouse (30 points) who were scheduled to meet eighth-placed Portmore United (16 points) in the feature contest of the double-header late on Monday.

Molynes United, who were suffering their ninth defeat of the season, remain 10th on 14 points.

After absorbing some early pressure from Molynes United, Dunbeholden struck with their very first attack of the game.

Dwayne Smith and McGregor combined on the counter with the latter getting on the end of the final pass. McGregor planted home a firm left-footed shot from dead centre of the 18-yard box.

The St Catherine-based team went close to doubling the lead four minutes later, but Demario Phillips’ stinging freekick from just over 20 yards out was pushed over the bar by Molynes United’s goalkeaper Peter Harrison.

However, they inevitably went 2-0 up not long after when Phillips delivered a perfectly weighted corner kick which was firmly headed home by McGregor as Harrison was left flat-footed.

With the cushion, Dunbeholden gradually dropped their game and Molynes United took charge, eventually pulling one back when Harris let fly a delightful left-footer from distance that left Jaheim Williams a mere spectator in goal.

From there the game lost some of its venom with both teams struggling to create meaningful opportunities before the break.

The next best chance of the half came when McGregor’s well-driven, right-footed effort was kept out by Harrison, who got down well at his near post to ensure the scores remained unchanged at the break.

Though both teams played well in patches on the resumption, there was very little to write home about, with Molynes United, in particular, creating some chances which they failed to make count.

Dunbeholden’s lone chance of the stanza came when Damion Thomas got in on goal and squeezed a right-footer through the legs of the advancing Harrison, but the effort took a slight deflection and just rolled wide of the left upright two minutes from time.

— Sherdon Cowan