Dunbeholden Football Club remained true to form, while Harbour View FC also signalled title intentions as both registered 1-0 victories over champions Cavalier and Waterhouse FC in their respective first-leg semi-final Jamaica Premier League encounters at Sabina Park on Sunday.

Peter McGregor’s 20th-minute strike proved enough to give Dunbeholden an early advantage over a weary-looking Cavalier heading into Wednesday’s return leg at the same venue.

Dunbeholden ended the game with 10 players after Clayon Pusey was shown a red card by referee Veralton Nembhard in the 81st minute for violent conduct.

Having had a two-week break to rest and reassess, Dunbeholden’s fresh legs and rejuvenation were well on display as they dominated the early exchanges.

Despite being held up by a decent Cavalier defensive line, the St Catherine-based team inevitably broke the deadlock in the 20th minute.

Nickoy Christian’s inswinging free kick was expertly headed on by McGregor with his back to the goal, leaving Vino Barclett, who strayed off his line, well beaten.

Rudolph Speid’s youthful Cavalier outfit showed some signs of life in attack but found Dunbeholden’s defence in a defiant mood.

With the score remaining unchanged at the break, Dunbeholden pressed for the ascendancy on the resumption and almost had a second three minutes in when Demario Phillips’s weighted free kick found an unmarked McGregor at the far post, but the usually prolific striker’s header went just wide of the right upright.

Cavalier, for their part, saw their best at goal, a 72nd-minute shot by Kenroy Campbell from an angle drifting not too far off the left upright.

Still, Dunbeholden applied consistent pressure, but try as they might to add to their tally, they found Cavalier’s defenders giving nothing further away.

Winning Assistant Coach Ricardo Smith was pleased with the win.

“It was a workmanlike performance today [Sunday], from the goalkeeper to the strikers, everybody did their jobs. We went a man down and as you can see everyone stepped up and put in the extra effort, and so I’m thankful for the win and we just look to the second leg,” he said in a post-game interview.

Speid, though disappointed with his team’s performance, took heart from the margin of the scoreline.

“The performance wasn’t very good, but the good thing that it’s just one goal,” he said.

Harbour View, who just eked out a play-off spot on goal difference, are seemingly peaking at the right time as they downed Waterhouse courtesy of Nicholas Hamilton’s all-important 82nd-minute strike in the second contest of the double-header.

Harbour View’s win was even more impressive as they only, a few days ago, outlasted Arnett Gardens in a gruelling return-leg quarter-final contest that went the distance before being decided by penalties.

The “Stars of the East” were on the front foot from the off, and while Waterhouse also had their fair share of chances, Ludlow Bernard’s side showed more determination and grit throughout, which eventually resulted in victory.

Hamilton unleashed a sweet left-footer from an angle just outside the 18-yard box that gave Kemar Foster, in goal for Waterhouse, no chance.