CATHERINE HALL, St James — Montego Bay United’s (MBU) Coach Rodolfo Zapata thinks that the top clubs in the Jamaica Premier League owe it to their fans to not just win games but also to playing attractive, entertaining football in the process.

The Argentine, who took over the team from Brazilian Neider dos Santos this season, thinks his players achieved both as they recovered from falling behind early against Chapelton Maroons to win their second-round game 2-1 at Montego Bay Sports Complex on Sunday.

Brian Brown scored both goals for MBU, netting his 10th goal in the process and taking over the lead in the race for the scoring title as the former champions maintained their second-place position on goal difference over Arnett Gardens. Both teams are on 34 points and are trailing leaders Mount Pleasant FA, who are on 37 points.

Damari Deacon gave Chapelton Maroons the lead in the eighth minute when he reacted quickest to MBU’s goalkeeper Davonnie Burton blocking a penalty taken by Levaunghn Williams.

Brown, however, scored in the 34th and 52nd minutes, which means he has now made his way onto the scoresheets in four of his team’s last five games, guiding them to a third-straight win.

Despite Chapelton Maroons’ position in the points tables, in eighth place, Zapata told the
Jamaica Observer that the Clarendon team “is really tricky, and we knew going in that it was going to be a complicated game”.

He said that while he did not see the reason Referee Steffon Dewar awarded the penalty kick, he is pleased with the reaction from his team.

“We never panicked, and continued to play good football. The most important thing is that we came back and [are] playing good football,” he said. “I believe that big clubs should entertain and get results, and I think that we played excellent football and we are still fighting for the top of the league.

“I’m happy with the players that we have,.I mean, the performance today speaks for itself, my players’ performance speak for itself [in] how they played,” said Zapata.

Jermaine Douglas — who took over the Chapelton Maroons team five games ago, replacing O’Neil “Bigga” Thompson, and who had led them from the foot of the tables, getting seven points from their three previous games — was disappointed with his team’s performance on Sunday.

“I thought we weren’t disciplined enough in the first half in terms of our defensive structure,” Douglas said. “We got an early goal, and then we went chasing when we should have been patient, stayed in our blocks, and allowed Montego Bay United to come at us and then we could hit them on the counter. That was a game plan; we never executed. We tried to force the issue and I thought we conceded two poor goals — I am especially disappointed with the second one.”

Chapelton Maroons, who had beaten defending champions Cavalier FC and Harbour View before earning a draw against Arnett Gardens, took the lead against the run of play when MBU’s wing back Deverow McKenzie committed a foul just inside the penalty area.

Burton, who was deputising for regular starter Aaron Enill, did well to block the attempt from Williams but could not stop Deacon’s header from close range.

MBU stormed back and created several chances but were denied by a series of good saves from Chapelton Maroons goalkeeper Prince Daniel-Smith, who tipped over a savage drive from Demario Phillips in the 10th minute, while Jourdaine Fletcher dragged a shot wide in the 12th minute and Owayne Gordon headed wide in the 20th minute, both with clear sight of goal.

Brown, who had scored in three of the previous four games, eventually broke down the Chapelton Maroons defence when he latched onto a cross from Fletcher and fired low and hard past Daniel-Smith in the 34th minute to level the scores.

Brown gave the home team the lead early in the second half when left wing back Darnell Hospedales dribbled past two defenders down the left flank and provided the striker with another chance, which he buried in the 52nd minute.

— PAUL A REID