Leaders Montego Bay hold off Cavalier in JPL third round
ST JAMES, Jamaica- Leaders Montego Bay United outlasted defending champions Cavalier 3-1 in their Jamaica Premier League third round game at Jarrett Park on Sunday to move six points clear at the top of the table on 61 points.
It was Cavalier’s second consecutive loss to Montego Bay as the champions remained in sixth place on 42 points, on goal-difference above Chapelton Maroons.
Fourth-placed Portmore United missed another chance to take over second place as they were surprised 2-1 by Dunbeholden who moved to eighth place on 41 points while Tivoli Gardens came from two goals down to edge Harbour View 3-2 at the Edward Seaga Complex. In the other game played on Sunday, Nicholas Nelson scored a double for Molynes United to earn a 2-2 draw with Chapelton.
The end of what was a game played at a pedestrian pace at Jarrett Park was frantic as Montego Bay went from just missing out on taking a 4-0 lead, when they had a penalty saved, to nearly seeing their lead reduced to a goal.
Montego Bay’s Deonjay Brown opened the scoring in the fifth minute when he got a pinpoint cross from the right side, controlled the ball, and turned and fired past the Cavalier goalkeeper Demelcio Fer.
The second city team doubled their advantage three minutes into the second half when Richardo Ramsey was sent through down the middle of the Cavalier defence, and took his time before lobbing the ball over the advancing Fer.
Montego Bay were sailing along nicely when substitute Jahmari Clarke scored two minutes later after he bulled his way past two defenders to fire home from close range.
Malachi Sterling, who had scored in the previous three games, should have made it 4-0 but Fer, who had made a series of very good saves earlier, blocked the penalty kick.
Cavalier countered brilliantly and Adrian Reid beat goalkeeper Davonnie Burton into his far right corner with a shot from outside the 18 yards box to make the score 3-1 three minutes into time added.
The champions could have made the finish even closer when they were awarded a penalty but Burton came up big with a save of his own, denying Christopher Ainsworth.
In the meantime, Ricardo Beckford scored in the sixth minute and Shakeem Powell in the 50th to give Dunbeholden the advantage in the St Catherine derby before Tarick Ximines pulled a goal back for Portmore in the 82nd minute.
Rodico Wellington scored a hattrick for Tivoli Gardens who came from two goals down against Harbour View after 26 minutes to win 3-2 at the Edward Seaga Complex.
Rohan Brown had scored both goals for Harbour View, in the ninth and 26th minutes, but Wellington hit back with a first half brace of his own, scoring in the 33rd and 35th minutes before completing his hat-trick in the 61st minute.
Molynes United also come from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw against Chapelton Maroons at Turner Field. Denzel McKenzie in the 27th minute and Sean Leighton in the 44th gave Chapelton the lead at half time but Nicholas Nelson scored a second half brace with goals in the 53rd and 67th minutes to snatch a point.
Sunday Results-
Tivoli Gardens FC-3, Harbour View- 2
Chapelton Maroons-2, Molynes United-2
Montego Bay United-3, Cavalier SC-1
Dunbeholden FC-2, Portmore United-1
