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Mobay United edge Waterhouse to close gap at top of RSPL

Red Stripe Premier League,Montego Bay United FC,Waterhouse FC,

Photo: Keniel Kerlew of Montego Bay United protects the ball from Waterhouse defender Hughan Gray during the top of the table Red Stripe Premier League clash between Waterhouse FC and Montego Bay United FC at Wespow Park on Thursday. Montego Bay United won the game 1-0 to close the gap at the top to just 2 points. Looking on are Allan Ottey (goal scorer for Mobay United) and Rohan Amos of Waterhouse.

Second place Montego Bay United FC closed the gap on leaders Waterhouse FC to three points at the top of the Red Stripe Premier League on Thursday, when they squeezed out a 1-0 win at Wespow Park. The defending champions owed the win to a 27th minute Allan Ottey strike which helped them secure their third win in a row.

The game between the island’s top two teams got off to a sizzling start with both teams missing chances within the first three minutes of the game. The first to come close was Waterhouse when captain Damarley Samuels smacked a shot against the crossbar after receiving a pass from Romario Campbell at a short corner.

A minute later Ronaldo Rodney got the better of a flat footed Rohan Amos and surged into the box but fired straight at Richard McCallum in the Waterhouse goal. The home fans were still cheering when Graeme Green fired a laser like shot just wide of the target. Ottey came close again for Mobay United when his effort fizzed into the side netting as the home team grabbed control of the match.

The pressure was relentless from the Western based team and Samuels had to clear the ball off the line after a mad scramble in the box.

The pressure finally told midway the half when Ottey got in between the centre half pairing of Amos and Nicholy Finlayson and controlled neatly before firing past a hapless McCallum to give his team the vital advantage.

The goal seemed to wake Waterhouse from their slumber and they slowly worked their way back into the game. They came close to getting a goal back following a right sided move when Tremaine Stewart played in Samuels whose initial effort was blocked by Barrett, and his second effort cannoned off the base of the upright.

Three minutes before the interval the problems for Waterhouse were magnified when McCallum was issued a straight red card for handling outside the goal area. The shot stopper prevented a Dino Williams lob from going into the goal.

Evan Taylor replaced McCallum in goal and did well to save a header from Ottey who directed his effort on target at the back post from a corner kick in first half stoppage time.

The second half was all Waterhouse, despite them being down to ten men.

The Anthony Patrick coached team came out gunning in the second half and created a number of chances from which they failed to score.

In the 57th minute, Stewart recovered the ball in the middle third and played in Damion Binns down the left flank. The wing back produced a good square across the face of goal but Juvaune Benjamin failed to make contact as the ball went through his legs.

Ten minutes later a brilliant cross field ball from Finlayson picked out Benjamin who drove into the box and with Barrett at his mercy fired wide into the side netting.

Jamaican international, Hughan Gray was next to try his luck from distance but Barrett dived smartly to his left to save.

Jermaine Anderson who had been kept quiet by the Mobay defence all game hit the upright when he turned quickly and fired on target but was left holding his head as his powerful shot went behind for a goal kick.

With little under fifteen minutes left to play, Benjamin received the easiest chance of the game when Romario Campbell split the Mobay defence with a delicate pass to send the forward in on goal. With Barrett already committed to ground and the goal at his mercy, the “shot shy” forward struck the ball directly at the keeper as another chance went begging for Waterhouse. It was the last action for the player who was clearly lacking confidence in front of goal.

Waterhouse would get one more shot on target seven minutes before time but the tame effort from Stewart failed to trouble the experienced Barrett as the home team held on to claim all three points.

Mobay United head coach Carlos Garcia was grateful for the three points despite his team’s second half performance.

“I thought in the first half we were very, very good. We created the most chances and should have scored more goals. In the second half we didn’t show enough patience to manage the game well. Even when we changed to play with one defender less we were not able to control the midfield.

“However, we are happy for the three points and to get three wins in a row. We are happy to close the gap on the leaders and hope to continue winning,” he concluded.

Anthony Patrick was at a loss to explain how his team failed to come away from the game with something.

“We were just unfortunate. We went down to ten men in the first half but we took complete control in the second half. We were very comfortable in midfield. Our substitute goal keeper didn’t have to make a save. He was playing like a centre half with the ball at his feet. We were unfortunate not to take the chances we created.”

The win for Mobay means the gap at the top is now just two points as the second round heats up.

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