MBU edge Tivoli Gardens to reclaim JPL lead
KINGSTON, Jamaica—Montego Bay United (MBU) are back on top of the points table in the Jamaica Premier League after their 1-0 win over Tivoli Gardens at the Edwards Seaga Sports Complex on Thursday, their third straight victory.
Thirty-four year-old Owayne Gordon scored the only goal of the game, his second in back-to-back games as Montego Bay United improved to 35 points, three more than Racing United, who had drawn level with them on Wednesday after hammering Treasure Beach 4-1.
Also on Wednesday, Clayton Peck scored a double as Portmore United overran Spanish Town Police 4-0, Chapelton Maroons beat Arnett Gardens 3-0, and Harbour View and Waterhouse FC ended in a 1-1 draw.
Montego Bay United beat Tivoli Gardens for the second time this season, with Gordon, who replaced an injured Jourdain Fletcher in the 55th minute, striking in the 62nd when he steered the ball into the far left corner past goalkeeper Nicholas Clarke.
Gordon had scored the winner against Dunbeholden in their previous game, also after coming off the bench.
Portmore United ended a five-game run without a win, in style, scoring four second-half goals against the last-placed team to reach 30 points.
Peck redirected a low, hard cross from the left wing across the goal line in the 47th minute to open the scoring and then added a second, from the penalty spot, in the 51st minute.
Two substitutes accounted for the other two goals. Marques Reid made it 3-0 in the 78th minute before Ronaldo Robinson got the fourth goal in time added.
Chapelton Maroons avenged their first-round loss to Arnett Gardens and moved past Tivoli Gardens on goal-difference for sixth place in the tables, both on 22 points.
Robino Gordon fired Chapelton into the lead in the 19th minute, and Damoi Whitfield doubled the advantage 10 minutes later.
Sean Leighton then scored in the 59th minute to secure the points.
Harbour View were denied a rare win after Waterhouse rallied late to earn a draw.
Rohan Brown gave Harbour View the lead in the 54th minute and the ‘Stars of the East’ thought they were well on their way to a win before Colorado Murray got the equaliser in the 90th minute.
Thursday’s results:
Portmore United 4, Spanish Town Police FC-0
Harbour View FC 1, Waterhouse FC- 1
Tivoli Gardens FC-0 Montego Bay United-1
Chapelton Maroons 3, Arnett Gardens-0
-Paul A Reid