DESPITE Mount Pleasant FA continuing their reign at the top of the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League (JPL) table, Captain Sue-Lae McCalla says last season’s finalists are not focusing on a title challenge as yet.

The St Ann-based club registered its seventh-straight victory with a comfortable 4-0 triumph over Dunbeholden at Drax Hall Sports Complex on Sunday.

Mount Pleasant found themselves 2-0 up inside the opening 30 minutes, thanks to goals from Shaquiel Bradford and McCalla.

Raheem Edwards, in the 57th minute, and Kyle Ming (67th) finished the job as they’re now unbeaten in their last nine games.

Mount Pleasant remain in first spot on 37 points and have only tasted defeat once, which was away to Dunbeholden at the end of October.

McCalla says it was important to start 2025 by avenging the loss.

“It was a good performance knowing they were the only team to beat us in the first round, so [it was] personal for us as a team. [It’s] the first time for the new year with the fans so we had to give a good performance,” he said.

“We’re scoring a lot of goals, the strikers are on top form, so we just want to keep that, stay positive as a team, and support them going forward.”

Mount Pleasant have been to back-to-back JPL finals, winning in the 2022/23 season but falling to Cavalier last season.

They currently boast the best offensive record, with 41 goals, and the best defensive record, conceding just nine.

Despite the incredible form, McCalla says the team won’t get distracted by any title talk.

“We don’t want to think about that, we just want to take it a game at a time. We have a match next week so we just want to take it a game at a time and not think about the final as yet,” McCalla said.

Head Coach Theodore Whitmore believes the team is showing signs of growth.

“To be honest, we’re not where we want to be but, game by game, we can see glimpses of improvement, we can see the training stuff happening out in the game, so we have to keep going,” Whitmore said.

Dunbeholden Head Coach Byjeon Thomas says the home supporters proved too much for his team.

“I think today we played the occasion and not the game. We let the crowd get in our heads and started slowly. We came here to put our foot on the ball but the crowd got in our heads, we started losing the ball, and that’s when Mount Pleasant took over.”

The defeat leaves Dunbeholden in 12th on 15 points, three points above the relegation zone, and winless in their last six outings.

SUNDAY’S RESULTS

Mount Pleasant 4, Dunbeholden 0

Racing 0, Arnett Gardens 2

Montego Bay 2, Chapelton 1

Molynes 3, Harbour View 1

Humble Lion 0, Vere Phoenix 1

MONDAY’S GAMES

5:00 pm — Tivoli Gardens vs Portmore @ Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex

7:45 pm — Cavalier vs Waterhouse @ Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex

WHITMORE… we can see the training stuff happening out in the game, so we have to keep going (Photo: Naphtali Junior)