CATHERINE HALL, St James — After promising starts in last Sunday’s opening round of the Jamaica Premier League, Montego Bay United (MBU) and promoted Faulkland FC will hope to get their first win of the season when they host Waterhouse FC and Dunbeholden FC, respectively, at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in St James on Monday.

Montego Bay United, who came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw against Portmore United at Drax Hall on Sunday, will take on Waterhouse FC in the first game at 5:00 pm, while Faulkland, who lost 2-1 to Mt Pleasant FA, will meet Dunbeholden in the second game set to start at 7:30 pm.

Waterhouse FC beat Molynes United 2-1 in their opening game on Sunday, while Dunbeholden drew 0-0 with Humble Lion.

It’s the first time in decades that St James has two teams in the Premier League, and the Montego Bay Sports Complex is expected to be humming with excitement on Monday.

Last Sunday, MBU’s Coach Donovan Duckie was happy with what he saw from his team after they went behind midway the first half, but rallied in the second half to earn a draw with ‘elder statesman’ Allan Ottey coming off the bench to get the equalising goal in the 87th minute.

“This is what championships is about, we had a bad start in the first half, but we finished the game strong and this augurs well for our programme, you saw what they did last year and you saw what we did today, and this will tell you the difference between then and now,” he told the Jamaica Observer West.

The St James-based club gave up a goal in the 35th minute when Jhanni Flemmings scored from a free kick after Nevaun Turner committed a foul just outside the 18-yard box.

A series of changes in the second half resulted in MBU wresting control of the game from Portmore United and the equalising goal was only a matter of time.

A three-man counter-attack led by Courtney Allen and Leonardo Fogarthy tore the Portmore United defence apart, forcing goalkeeper Ricardo Watson to advance in an effort to cut the angle, but Allen passed to the trailing Ottey who found the target.

It was Faulkland FC who took the lead when Husanna Johnson scored in the 22nd minute to quiet the Mt Pleasant FA crowd and they held the lead until the 77th minute when they lost both starting centre halves, and later collapsed.

Jowell Powell was dismissed after he got a second yellow card, while Michael McLoud was forced off with a facial injury after which time Mt Pleasant FA, coached by Theodore Whitmore, took full advantage.

Trivanti Stewart atoned for his earlier misses after he looped a header into the top right-hand corner of the goal in the 77th minute and then Leonaro Jibbison, who moved to the St Ann club from Vere United this season, capitalised on a confused looking Faulkland defence in the 85th minute, lashing home from close range.