IT may not have been the placing they were hoping for this season but in the end Arnett Gardens Coach Xavier Gilbert says he was happy that his team won the third trophy in this season’s Jamaica Premier League competition.

Arnett Gardens defeated Montego Bay United (MBU) 4-2 at the National Stadium on Friday. Arnett Gardens were led to victory courtesy of two goals each from Shay Smith in the 58th and 71st minutes, and Captain Fabian Reid in the 73rd and 82nd minutes.

Striker Brian Brown scored both goals for MBU in the 68th and 90th minutes.

With this result Arnett Gardens now qualify for the 2025 Caribbean Football Union Club Shield. Arnett Gardens are also the defending champions of this regional tournament.

“I am happy for the victory, because I thought we played well overall as we had a lot of dominance in the first half but in the second half we were much better and we scored four goals,” Gilbert said. “We are in the Shield, and that was all we had to play for and we are happy for that. So, we just have to go back and prepare and focus on that because we are the defending champions and we want to defend our title.”

The first half was evenly contested, with both teams creating several scoring chances. MBU’s Peter Lee Vassell went close to scoring in the 17th minute but his cleared shot from 15 yards out went wide of the target.

His teammate Brian Brown squandered a glorious opportunity to put MBU in the lead in the 26th minute but his point-blank effort was saved by Arnett Gardens goalkeeper Jadavin Waul. However, Arnett found their rhythm in the remainder of the first-half period as they went close to scoring on a number of occasions. Reid, who played excellently in the first half, saw his powerful shot from 20 yards out turned behind for a corner kick in the 31th minute.

Reid then turned provider for his teammate Smith, but with custodian Davonnie Burton at his mercy his shot went wide of the target as the first half ended 0-0. However, Arnett came out firing on all cylinders in the second half and were rewarded when Smith headed home from close range past Burton.

However, Brown pulled MBU level with a beautiful curling shot which went like a rocket past Waul in the 68th minute. Smith restored Arnett’s narrow advantage when he fired home past MBU’s Burton, who was well-beaten at his near post.

Reid then added his name on the scoresheet when he arrived in the centre of the 18-yard box to side-foot the ball into the back of the net past Burton. Reid completed his double as he scored Arnett’s fourth goal of the game. Despite Brown adding MBU’s second goal in the 90th minute, it was too late.

Cavalier’s Shamar Watson (right) lunges in on Mount Pleasant’s Franco Celestin.Naphtali Junior

Mount Pleasant’s Daniel Green (left) tussles with Cavalier’s Dwayne Allen for the ball during the grand final of the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League at the National Stadium on Friday.Naphtali Junior