FLORENCE HALL, Trelawny — Humble Lion FC have no plans of staying in the Jamaica Football Federation Championships for too long and are determined to return to the Jamaica Premier League when the next season kicks off.

The team that was a constant presence in the island’s top club competition for more than a decade were relegated along with another Clarendon team — Vere United — at the end of the 2024-25 season. They started the Championships with a 1-1 draw away to Duncans United at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium on Sunday but Coach Davion Megoo said he was pleased with the start.

Shawn Campbell gave Humble Lion a dream start when he scored just after 30 seconds into the game but Duncans rallied to equalise in the 29th minute when Terron Eccleston scored.

“The objective is to return to the Premier League at the first time,” Megoo told the Jamaica Observer, “a point away from home is always good but I am disappointed with the result.”

Megoo said his team played well but lamented, “we gave up a really, really soft goal to give them the equaliser but that is football, you make mistakes.”

The team has only retained four players from last year’s squad that won just seven of their 38 games and the coach said he is aware of how difficult it will be to get to the final of the championship and back to top-flight football.

“The JFF Championship is a competitive league, so it’s always challenging and we know it will be a big challenge but we are up to it as we know what our goals are,” Megoo said.

Cassman Williams, the Duncans United head coach, was disappointed with the point, blaming wasteful finishing.

“Based on what transpired today, we have to be satisfied with the draw, we were hoping for a victory and we created some opportunities, but scored only once, we need to work on that, we need to finish these chances,” said Williams.

Duncans were sixth in their zone last season but Williams said they have ambitions to do better and have acquired a number of players including Eccelston, who scored 35 goals for Cedric Titus in the daCosta Cup competition.

Williams, however, admitted it was not a bad showing from the players in their first game.

“We need to continue training and working to improve in each and every way and I think we will do well in this competition,” he said, adding that they only started three new players.

On Saturday, Tru Juice FC, Lime Hall CC, WiFi United, Grays Inn, and St Bess United all scored wins.

Curtel Lawes scored in the 38th minute as Tru Juice FC edged newcomers Jamaica Defence Force, who finished the game with nine players after Kambuji McCalla was sent off in the 75th minute and Matthew Taylor — who came on in the 60th — was sent off in the 80th minute, both for serious foul play.

Lime Hall Academy, who played a season in the Premier League, beat Sakka Club Browns Town 1-0 in a St Ann derby at Drax Hall with Carlos Brown scoring the winning goal in the 81st minute.

Meanwhile, WiFi United beat last season’s semi-finalists Meadforest FC 3-0, with Grays Inn defeating Baptist Alliance by a similar margin, while St Bess United edged Petersfield FC 1-0.

At the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium, Timmari Roach scored a brace for STETHS Elite in their 2-2 draw against Falmouth United, semi-finalists from last season.

Roach fired STETHS Elite into the lead in the eighth minute but Falmouth United rallied to take the lead through goals from Nicholus Samuels in the 60th minute and Amal Nugent-Hudson in the 73rd.

Roach was left unmarked at the far left post in the 82nd minute to score his second and get a point for STETHS.

Reno FC came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw against Roaring River in a Westmoreland derby played at Llandilo Sports Complex.

Oshane Neil gave Roaring River the lead in the 19th minute but Malik Quarrie equalised 10 minutes later.

Saturday’s Games

•Jamaica Defense Force 0 Tru Juice FC 1

•Lime Hall CC 1 Sakka Club Brown’s Town 0

•Wifi United 3, Meadforest FC 0

Baptist Alliance FC 0, Grays Inn SC 3

•Falmouth United-2 STETHS Elite FC 2

•St Bess United 1, Petersfield FC 0

Reno FC 1, Roaring Rivers FC 1

Sunday’s game

•Duncans United -1 Humble Lion FC 1

MEGOO…the objective is to return to the Premier League at the first time (Photo: Paul Reid)

Falmouth United’s Nicholus Samuels (right) jumps to head the ball away from STETHS Elite’s Deandre Barnett in Saturday’s JFF Championship game played at the Trelawny Multi-purpose stadium. The game ended in a 2-2 draw. (Photo: Paul Reid)