Photo: August Town’s Maurice Bennett battles Nicholy Finlayson of Waterhouse for possession in their RSPL game on Thursday. August Town captain Chauncey Delahayes looks on. Waterhouse won the game 3-0 to climb into first place in the league.
A comprehensive 3-0 win by Waterhouse over cellar dwellers August Town, coupled with a 1-1 draw between Arnett Gardens and defending champions Harbour View on Thursday April 3rd means that the Drewsland based team are now sole leaders of the Red Stripe Premier League.
Photo: August Town’s Maurice Bennett battles Nicholy Finlayson of Waterhouse for possession in their RSPL game on Thursday. August Town captain Chauncey Delahayes looks on. Waterhouse won the game 3-0 to climb into first place in the league.
A comprehensive 3-0 win by Waterhouse over cellar dwellers August Town, coupled with a 1-1 draw between Arnett Gardens and defending champions Harbour View on Thursday April 3rd means that the Drewsland based team are now sole leaders of the Red Stripe Premier League.
Both Waterhouse and Harbour View began the day on 43 points, two behind Montego Bay United and with the knowledge that a win would take them to the premier league summit.
Waterhouse, who were playing the first of their two make-up games, due to their participation in the CFU Club Championships recently, got off to a slow start in the early kick-off and found themselves on the back foot early.
Larone Russell should have given August Town the lead after 12 minutes when he was played through behind a sleepy defence, however the striker hesitated allowing goalkeeper Richard “Spoon” McCallum to cut the angle before he blasted his effort wide of the far post.
The near miss seemed to awaken the visitors and just five minutes later, Waterhouse captain Damarley Samuels, should have given his team the lead when full back Hughan Gray served up a delightful right sided cross to the back post. Samuels was unable to direct his header on target and the ball went inches over the crossbar.
Midway the half Weston Forrest saw his screamer, also go inches over the crossbar when he benefited from a knock down on the edge of the area. Waterhouse were in full control of the game by now and in the 34th minute, striker Juvaune Benjamin turned his marker smartly before being allowed to run towards the box by a retreating August Town defence. The striker’s shot fizzed just wide of the far post as the visitors turned up the pressure.
The home team finally caved under the pressure in the 37th minute when a left sided cross from Forrest found its way to an unmarked Benjamin on the far post, who had an easy tap in to give his team a 1-0 lead.
Samuels had a glorious chance to double the lead for the visitors on the stroke of half time when Benjamin turned his marker on the half way line and slipped his captain in, clear on goal. Samuels took two touches of the ball before shooting straight at the feet of the advancing Devon Haughton in the August Town goal.
The second half was all Waterhouse but it took them until the 74th minute to double their lead when Samuels finally got on the score sheet. Second half substitute Marvin Morgan, put the icing on the cake when he got his team’s third in the 89th minute of play to seal the win and put his team in pole position in the league.
In the late kick-off Harbour View had to come from behind at Arnett Gardens to secure a point. The home team took the lead through Kirk Ramsey in the 18th minute and it took a second half strike from Ranique Muir in the 64th minute to bring the champions level and secure a valuable point.
The results from Thursday’s games now means that Waterhouse leads the table with 46 points followed by Montego Bay United in second place on 45, Harbour View in third on 44 and Arnett Gardens who currently occupy the fourth semi-final spot on 39 points.
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