TUCKER, St James — Defending champions Cavalier FC failed to close the gap on fourth place Arnett Gardens after playing out a frustrating 2-2 draw against last-place Montego Bay United in their rescheduled Jamaica Premier League game at Wespow Park in Tucker, St James, on Wednesday.

Cavalier FC edged up to 31 points from their 9 games played but five behind fourth placed Arnett Gardens while MBU stayed in last place on 11 points.

Despite playing without five regular starters who were away with their respective national teams on Concacaf Nations League duties, Cavalier FC controlled most of the first half but failed to make their possession count.

Cavalier FC led 1-0 at half time but were down 1-2 late in the game before another defensive lapse caused Montego Bay United two points, the second time in four days.

Collin Anderson gave Cavalier FC the lead after 16 minutes but the home team drew level in the 55th minute through Shandee Brooks then took the lead in the 82nd when a defender turned the ball past the Cavalier FC goalkeeper Jeadine White.

A costly mistake by goalkeeper Peter Sinclair a few minutes later, however, gifted Cavalier FC a goal and a share of the points.

Cavalier FC head coach Rudolph Speid was not satisfied with the game, saying that was not the result he expected and described the performance as “pitchy-patchy”.

“We were missing five of our national players who were on Nations Cup duties. We could have asked for a postponement as we never had the depth, we had only 16 players, but even with that we should have still gotten the victory. We played well in patches then eased off,” he said.

Leacroft Lettman, the MBU coach, insisted that he was not disappointed by his team giving up leads in back-to-back games which cost them four points.

“[I am] not frustrated, this in football, we continue to work hard. We got better late in the game, it was one bad pass that came back to haunt us.”

MBU came close to opening the scoring in the ninth minute but Giovannie Reid headed a ball just wide of the far right post with White at his mercy at the near post.

Cavalier FC took the lead soon after when Anderson stooped to guide a corner with his head past two defenders and goalkeeper Sinclair at the near left post.

The home team had a chance to level the scores in the 43rd minute after Kristoff Murray’s low, hard shot beat White, came back off the base of the post and rolled across the goal, but Devarow McKenzie was just too late to guide the ball across the goal-line.

They did get the equaliser 10 minutes into the second half when Brooks was in the perfect spot to control a cross from the right side and buried it from close range.

McKenzie had another chance to score in the 75th minute but guided his shot wide. However, they made up for the mistake in the 82nd minute when a powerful shot from Nazime Grant was deflected off the body of a Cavalier FC player and into the goal.

The lead lasted all of four minutes as Sinclair rushed off his line and was beaten near the 18 yards line, presenting Anderson with a wide open goal and he made no mistake.

Cavalier FC came close to snatching all three points in stoppage time when Anderson’s shot from the left of the 18-yard box beat Sinclair but was cleared off the line by Jevaun Sheperd.

Teams:

Montego Bay United — Renardo Wellington, Nevaun Turner, Giovanne Reid, Jevaun Shepherd, Shandee Brooks (Rasheed Brown-78th), Nazime Grant, Devarow McKenzie, Renaldo Wellington, Kristoff Murray (Ewan Barton-85th), Fabian Forbes (Dwayne Ambusley-78th), Peter Sinclair

Subs not used: Davonnie Burton, Tavin Shaw, Clifton Suban, Delroy Blake

Booked: Murray (70th)

Cavalier FC — Jeadine White, Ronaldo Webster (Christopher Ainsworth-81st), Kyle Ming, Dwayne Atkinson, Collin Anderson, Kimani Gibbons, Shadane Lopez (Mario Smith-80th), Nickache Murray, Gadail Irving, Lamounth Rochester, Christopher Pearson (Tavar Thompson-63rd)

Subs not used: Tavar Thompson, Richard Henry, Omario Henry

Booked: Ming (33rd)

Referee: Andre Farquharson

Assistants: Andre Gayle, Gavin Carvalho

Fourth Official: Kasa Plummer

Match Commissioner: Gavin McNeil

— Paul Reid