MT SALEM, St James – Granville United FC will start the defense of their St James Football Association/Sandals Resorts International Major League title when they visit former champions Wadada United FC in a Zone A game at the Mt Salem Community Centre on Friday.

Granville United were supposed to start their season on Saturday’s opening day but their scheduled opponents Montego Bay United withdrew just before the start of the competition. Montego Bay United, who compete in the Jamaica Premier League, were supposed to contest the parish competition as a ‘guest team’ using only fringe players from their squad and were not eligible for the play-offs.

Wadada FC were held 0-0 by Lilliput Rovers in their opening game on Saturday.

In the meantime, also scheduled for Friday, Montego Bay Boys Club and Flankers FC will be seeking their first win when they meet at the UDC Field in a Zone B game.

Flankers FC and Heights FC had played out a 0-0 draw in their opening game while Boys Club were beaten 5-1 by Green Pond SC.

Demar Thomas gave Green Pond SC the lead just before halftime and Devoi Douglas doubled the advantage six minutes into the restart. Douglas’ goal triggered three goals in a five-minute span as Temoni Lyons scored for Montego Bay Boys Club in the 53rd minute but Renaldeno Wilson restored Green Pond SC’s two goals lead in the 54th minute. Tyshaun Robinson made the score 4-1 for Green Pond in the 75th minute and Garth Bromwell added a fifth in the 82nd minute.

Davian McLean scored the season’s first hattrick when he led Cambridge FC to a come from behind 3-1 win over Norwood Strikers at the Albion field on Sunday.

Ranaldo Waldo gave Norwood Strikers the 20th minute lead but McLean equalised in the 30th minute as both teams were tied 1-1 at halftime.

McLean gave Cambridge FC the lead in the 61st minute and then completed his hattrick in the 80th minute.

Former champions Reggae Youths also made a winning start, beating Bogue FC 4-1 on Sunday.

Damion Alexander in the 10th minute and Denardo Kerr in the 43rd gave Reggae Youths a 2-0 halftime lead before Sanjay Patterson pulled a goal back for Bogue in the 67th minute. An own goal in the 77th minute however restored Reggae Youths’ two-goal lead while Kemar Reid added a fourth in the 85th minute.