Paul Davis got his first win as head coach of Montego Bay United (MBU) when the team edged a stubborn Harbour View 1-0 at the Montego Bay Sports Complex on Thursday.

It took a spectacular strike from Jourdain Fletcher, in the 69th minute, two minutes after he was brought on as a second-half substitute. Davis, who was in charge the last time the Montego Bay team lifted the title, in 2016, said the feeling was good.

It was back-to-back 1-0 wins for Montego Bay United against Harbour View this season as they also avenged their only home loss of the season after the East Kingston team came from a goal down to win 2-1 in the first round.

After a hard-fought 1-1 draw against league leaders Mount Pleasant in their final second-round game at the same venue, Davis said, “It feels good, really good.This performance was a continuation from the Mount Pleasant game. We were more consistent throughout the game.”

Davis, who recently replaced Rodolfo Zapata, said the first-half performance was “the best the team has played since I came here, we were moving the ball around, we got some chances but we were giving the ball away. We were more patient today but it was a good win and a good feeling”.

Davis says the week of training the team had since their previous game benefited them as he was able spend time trying to implement his style of play and said they players were adapting slowly.

“We can see the ball moving around, frustrating the next team and they were being patient but they need to start taking more of their chances,” he said.

Harbour View Head Coach Donald Stewart says his team deserved more from the game.

“I think the team played well,” he told the Jamaica Observer. “The effort was excellent as well. We were well-organised but unfortunately we conceded a goal, the one action we didn’t deal with properly, and it cost us the game.”

The loss saw Harbour View slip a spot down to 11th place in what is setting up to be a brutal relegation battle with seven points separating five teams at the foot of the points table.

Montego Bay United thought they had taken the lead but Shaniel Thomas was ruled to have been marginally offside when he played the ball past goalkeeper Anthony Bennett into the far right corner of the goal.

Fletcher scored the game’s only goal when he curled a left-footer on the right side from about 25 yards out, into the top left-hand corner of the goal, leaving Bennett rooted to his goal line and he could only watch the ball sail past him.