File photo: Portmore United captain Ewan Grandison got two of his team’s five goals on Sunday as they routed Waterhouse FC 5-0 at Drewsland in the Red Stripe Premier League.
Portmore United continued their fine start to the Red Stripe Premier League season when they pounded hosts Waterhouse into submission, to run out 5-0 winners at the Drewsland Stadium on Sunday. Spurred on by a brace from captain Ewan Grandison and a brace from substitute Javon East, as well as a lone strike from Ricardo Morris, last season’s losing finalists registered their third win of the season to remain top of the league after four match days.
A goalless first half, saw both teams create some good goal scoring opportunities and had a goal each waved off for offside in slippery conditions created by an afternoon downpour that began just before the first whistle.
However, the second half saw one red card, five goals and a number of yellow cards as Portmore United ran the hosts ragged.
The key moment of the game came in the 50th minute when central defender Jeffery Henry was given a straight red card for a hard foul on Portmore forward Maalique Foster after the slippery forward bore down on the Waterhouse goal.
The visitors took full advantage of having an extra player just eight minutes later when Grandison broke up a play at half line before starting and finishing the counterattack. He drove through the midfield before a give and go with Morris saw him face to face with the Waterhouse custodian Richard McCallum. The calm finish into the bottom left hand corner of the goal was a sight to behold.
Dasha Satchwell provided the perfect pass to his teammate Samar Rowe inside the box but the goal bound header was tipped over the crossbar by the alert Shaven Sean-Paul in the Portmore goal as the hosts provided a quick response.
A three on two chance was thwarted by the veteran McCallum who came up with an expert save to deny Foster from point blank range as Portmore hunted more goals.
Waterhouse had another great chance to draw level when Andre Dawson provided the most inviting of balls across the face of goal, which only needed a touch, but Rowe failed to get unto the end of the cross.
The hosts kept pressing for the equalizer, leaving holes at the back and eventually Portmore made them pay. Another three on two, counterattack saw Foster play in Morris with a cheeky back heel which Morris finished with a fierce drive pass McCallum at his near post in the 71st minute.
Grandison then got his second seven minutes later when he curled a free kick from the top of the box into the left side of the goal despite the dive from McCallum, to make it 3-0 with just over ten minutes left to play.
Substitute Javon East then took advantage of the shoddy defending by Waterhouse to score two goals in four minutes to complete the rout as Portmore’s good early season form continued.
“We started the morning with some bad vibes on the complex with players and spectators and then it came right over in the game. Going down a man short to a quality team like Portmore (means) we were always behind the eight ball.
“We played a little indisciplined somewhat, based on the fact that we were one man short and we were still trying to go forward. There is nothing wrong with going forward, its how we go forward…the defenders left us open at the back. We didn’t stop playing that is why we conceded so much…all is not lost,” said a pragmatic Bailey.
Portmore United’s new coach Shavar Thomas has gotten his team off to a flier and said that after the signs shown by his team in the first half, he knew it was only a matter of time before they took control of the contest.
“I am very pleased that we got maximum points and we did so in a good fashion, some good goals, we really put the Waterhouse team on the back end today. In the first half we got behind them, we knew that once we connected in the second half it would happen for us. We got a couple and then they broke and then we got some more. The season is early so it’s back to the drawing board as we prepare for the next game,” said a pleased Thomas
The results means Portmore remains in first place in the league on 10 points but only by goal difference as the UWI remains in hot pursuit after their resounding 3-0 win of former champions Montego Bay United, against who they had never even scored before in six previous tries. New signing Ryan Miller got all three goals for the Mona based club.
Meanwhile, the loss saw Waterhouse slip three places from sixth to ninth as they remain on three points, having drawn their three previous matches.
The three other games played on Sunday all ended in stalemates. Humble Lion were held by champions Arnett Gardens 1-1, Sandals FC earned their second point in the RSPL following a come from behind 1-1 draw with Cavalier SC while Boys Town held Craig Foster and Reno scoreless for the first time this season.
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