Mobay United back on top of RSPL

Photo: Waterhouse midfielder Sean Coleman cuts between Tivoli players Jermaine Johnson (back to camera) and Andre McFarlane. Waterhouse had to come from behind to draw 2-2 Tivoli Gardens at the Waterhouse Mini-Stadium on Sunday.

Montego Bay United, on Monday night, took advantage of the slip by misfiring Portmore United on Sunday, to return to the top of the Red Stripe Premier League when they blanked FC Reno 2-0 courtesy of a Dino Williams brace at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.

The league’s leading scorer found the back of the net either side of half time to take his team top and himself back top of the scoring charts as he now has 13 goals, one more than Corey Burke of Rivoli United.

Having watched Portmore United get tagged 3-0 by Boys Town on Sunday, Mobay United had the opportunity to return to the premier league summit as they trailed the former champions by a single point. Williams who likes to score in bunches, got his first of the game from the penalty spot in the 14^th minute before completing his 5^th brace of the season, ten minutes after the half time interval. The win takes Mobay United to 33 points, two clear of Portmore United who have now lost two games on the trot.

Reno, following the loss, is now stuck in mid-table in 6^th position on 22 points, as they too have lost two games on the spin.

Portmore United were undone by a Shamar Nicholson brace and a strike from veteran Peter Keyes as they continue to struggle in front of goal. Nicholson opened the scoring after just three minutes when he poked home from close range and completed his double in the 61^st minute. Keyes then rounded out the scoring in the 73^rd minute with a trade mark rasping drive that gave the keeper no chance. Despite being second in the league, Portmore has scored just 18 times in 17 games.

Portmore United must now be looking nervously over their shoulders as the back to back losses have not only seen them slip from the top spot but, the gap between themselves and champions Arnett Gardens has closed to just two points.

Defending champions Arnett Gardens moved up a place to third in the standings following a ruthless first half performance against Harbour View. The Stars of the East had travelled to the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex bubbling with confidence on the back of consecutive wins but were blown away by the pace of the home team. Leon Strickland opened the scoring in the 8^th minute and got his second in the 20^th before the lightning quick Kemal Malcolm made in 3-0 in the 26^th minute.

A shell shocked Harbour View tried to respond in the second half and had territorial dominance for long periods without creating many clear cut goal scoring opportunities. Nicholas Beckett got the consolation goal for the Ludlow Bernard coached team in the 70th minute, but could count themselves lucky not to have conceded more. They might have, had the Arnett strikers showed more appetite in front of goal in the closing stages of the game.

The UWI FC continued to show that they belong in the RSPL and have no intentions of being overawed when they chalked up their second straight win and third of the round when they clipped Cavalier SC 1-0 at the UWI Bowl.

Anthony Greenland’s 36^th minute goal took the newcomers to 22 points and 8^th position as they continued their steady climb away from the dreaded relegation zone. Greenland has now scored five times for the UWI to be joint 6^th on the charts with Jovan East of Portmore United and Miguel Ricketts of Tivoli Gardens.

Rivoli United and Humble Lion played out an exciting 2-2 draw the Effortville Community Centre as the hosts had to come from behind twice, to grab a share of the spoils.

Wolry Wolfe gave the visitors the lead in the 17^th minute but Rivoli talisman Corey Burke leveled in added time at the end of the first half.

Francois Swaby thought he had wrapped up the points for Humble Lion in the 60^th minute but another late strike, this time in the 88^th minute from Valentine Gardner, assured the home team of a point.

Humble Lion slipped a place to 4^th on 28 points while Rivoli remain second from bottom on 16 points.

The return of Paul Young to the hot seat at Waterhouse could do nothing to move them off the cellar position as they had to fight doggedly for a point at home against a determined Tivoli Gardens team in a pulsating 2-2 draw.

The hosts took the lead in the 11^th minute when Kemar Beckford scored his first goal in 17 tries for the club. His goal celebration showed just how much it meant to him after he swept home from close range. But the outstanding Junior Flemmings who gave left back Shamari Dyer nightmares, equalized for the visitors in the 25^th minute when he fired into the far corner.

Andre McFarlane threatened to steal all the points when he produced a calm finish inside the box after being left unmarked in the 62^nd minute. But Kenroy Howell equalized four minutes later when he headed home to ensure that Young did not begin his second stint as head coach at the club, on a losing note. Waterhouse remains bottom with 14 points while Tivoli are 9^th on nineteen with one round of matches left to be played before the league breaks for the Christmas holidays.