DONAHUE Mitchell scored a double to lead Mona High to a 2-0 victory over Tivoli Gardens in their second-round first-leg contest during their ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup encounter at the Stadium East field on Tuesday.

Mitchell netted in the fourth and 86th minutes for the Craig Butler-coached Mona, who are one of the favourites to win this year’s title.

Tivoli ended the match with 10 men after Ajani Smith was sent off in the 88th minute for using foul language to the referee.

Butler said he was very delighted for the victory because Tivoli played a very hard game.

“I am pleased with the performance,” said Butler. “We knew that Tivoli was going to come at us because they are a hard-playing team,” he said.

“We showed that we have quality in not just attacking, but also in our defence and so this match was a testament to that,” Butler added.

Christopher Nicholas, coach of Tivoli, said his team played well despite the defeat and he is very upbeat that they can overturn this 2-0 deficit in the second leg.

“We got a lot of chances but we just failed to put them away — and it is goals that win matches,” said Nicholas.

“I think that we will do much better in the second leg, and I am confident that we can outscore them in this return game because playing against them today [Tuesday], I know that we are going to beat them in our next game,” he added.

Mitchell, who is the competition’s leading goalscorer this season with 20, gave Mona a dream start when he rifled home from point-blank range in the opening four minutes of the game.

However, Tivoli fought hard in the remainder of the first half but they were kept at bay due to solid defending by Mona’s defensive unit led by goalkeeper Akeem Bernard, along with Robino Gordon, Dante Peralto and Damoi Whitfield.

Jaheim Dorman missed a glorious opportunity to level the score for Tivoli on the stroke of half-time as despite Bernard being at his mercy, his weak shot from 12 yards went wide of the target.

Tivoli also created several clear-cut chances throughout the second period but they were let down due to poor finishing. Mitchell then sealed the victory for Mona four minutes from full time when he scored from the penalty spot, this after his teammate Zhaine Pinnock was brought down inside the 18-yard box.

In the day’s other games Campion College and Charlie Smith played out a 1-1 draw. Raequan Stoney opened the scoring in the 36th minute for Charlie Smith before Kai Myers equalised in the 49th.

Haile Selassie edged Excelsior 1-0 and St George’s College defeated Jonathan Grant 4-1.

In today’s double-header at Spanish Town Prison Oval, St Jago oppose St Andrew Technical at 1:00 pm and Jose Marti battle Kingston College at 3:00 pm. Wolmer’s will entertain St Catherine at the Stadium East field at 3:00 pm while Norman Manley await Jamaica College at Calabar High School at 3:00 pm.

— Robert Bailey