KINGSTON, Jamaica – Nickyle Ellis scored a first half brace as Racing United beat defending champions Cavalier 4-1 in their Jamaica Premier League first round game at Stadium East on Sunday.

The win took Racing United to 22 points as only two points separate first from third after leaders Portmore United were beaten 2-0 by Mount Pleasant FA at Ferdie Neita Park.

Portmore are still on top, on 24 points, one more than Montego Bay United, with Racing United closing the gap in third place.

Also on Sunday, Harbour View FC and Molynes United played out a 0-0 draw, with both teams ending the game with 10 men. Chapelton Maroons and Dunbeholden FC also played out a goal-less draw.

At Stadium East, Cavalier, who ended a second straight game with 10 players, were losing back-to-back games for the second time this season. They trailed 2-0 at halftime after Ellis scored in the third minute and in time added at the end of the first half.

Cavalier’s Jerome McCleary was dismissed after he was booked for a second yellow card in the 61st minute, five minutes after picking up the first.

Despite being a man down, Cavalier halved the deficit when Romarion Thomas scored in the 77th minute.

Dean Andre Thomas, who was a second half substitute, restored Racing United’s two-goal lead in the 85th minute before Tajay Grant added another goal two minutes later.

At Ferdie Neita Park, Warner Brown’s first half double helped Mount Pleasant FA defeat Portmore and record back-to-back wins after they smashed Tivoli Gardens 5-0 last week.

Brown, who had also scored a double against Tivoli, scored in the 33rd minute and a minute into time added at the end of the first half to end Portmore’s eight-game unbeaten run.

The win saw Mount Pleasant move into fourth place on 16 points, ahead of Cavalier on goal-difference with a game in hand.