Mt Pleasant FA extended its record winning streak to 12 games after hammering Vere United 4-1 in their Jamaica Premier League return round game at Drax Hall on Thursday afternoon.
The St Ann club leads the points tables with 52 points, eight more than Montego Bay United-44, Arnett Gardens is third with 42 points, and Portmore United-35 points, Cavalier FC-34 points, and Waterhouse FC-33 rounding out the top six.
Kyle Ming gave Mt Pleasant FA the lead after three minutes, but Robino Gordon equalized for Vere United in the 25th minute.
Shaquille Bradford then restored Mt Pleasant FA’s lead in the 36th minute with his 10th goal of the season. Sue-Lae McCalla, who was scoring in back-to-back games, added a third in the 57th minute, and Jahmari Nolan came off the bench to score a fourth in the 80th minute.
Second-half substitute Giovanni Taylor scored a double in three minutes to lead Arnett Gardens to a 5-1 humbling of Humble Lion at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.
Chavany Willis wasted no time in opening the scoring after just a minute, and Warner Brown then added a second in the 42nd minute, also his 10th goal of the season, as they led 2-0 at halftime.
Jaheim Thomas converted a penalty in the 50th minute as Arnett Gardens extended their lead to 3-0 before Taylor grabbed his brace in the 75th and 78th minutes.
Stephen Barnett scored an 84th-minute consolation for Humble Lion.
Portmore United and Molynes United played out a 0 – 0 draw, the same scoreline between Cavalier FC and Tivoli Gardens.
On Wednesday, former champions Montego Bay United defeated Waterhouse FC 3-1 at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.
Jean Claudio Ferreira, who returned to the club after a short stint at Mt Pleasant, pulled the strings from the midfield in his first start. He set up the first goal when he won a penalty and then scored the second as Montego Bay United improved to 44 points after winning their 13th game, one more than they won all of last season.
Meanwhile, Racing United and Dunbeholden FC also scored good wins over Harbour View and Chapelton Maroons, respectively, as they continued to inch their way out of the relegation zone.
Both teams took their time warming up in the game at the Montego Bay Sports Complex, but the home team grabbed the initiative late in the first half, scoring twice.
A defender handled Ferreira’s fierce shot from just outside the Waterhouse area, and Shaniel Thomas fired home from the spot just out of reach of goalkeeper John Wilson in the 32nd minute for his 10th goal of the season.
The Brazilian was well placed in the 45th minute to head home a cross from just inside the 18-yard box as Montego Bay United grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck.
Yohan Weatherly, who had a rare start, justified his coach’s faith when he capped a good display by rifling home a left-footer past Wilson in the 72nd minute to make the score 3-0.
Mario Simms, a second-half substitute, pulled a goal back for Waterhouse when he beat goalkeeper Aaron Enill in the 78th minute.
Racing United extended their best-ever run in the JPL, edging Harbour View 1-0 at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex for their third straight and moved to 25 points, one shy of seventh-placed Tivoli Gardens.
Ranaldo Biggs scored the winner in the 20th minute as Harbour View, who had beaten Dunbeholden on Sunday, slumped back into 13th place.
Dunbeholden rebounded from their significant loss to outscore Chapelton Maroons 3-1 in the second double-header game at the Anthony Spaulding Complex.
The win snapped Dunbeholden’s 10-game winless run and saw them move up to 11th place on 19 points, one point behind Chapelton.
Dwight Merrick’s ninth-minute goal gave Dunbeholden a 1-0 lead at halftime before Nickoy Christian doubled the advantage in the 57th minute while Dean Andre Thomas put the game out of reach of Chapelton Maroon in the 83rd minute.
Marlon Allen scored a consolation goal for Chapelton Maroons in the 88th minute.
The round ends on Thursday with four more games—leaders Mt Pleasant FA will take on Vere United, Arnett Gardens will meet Humble Lion, Portmore United, and Molynes United will meet, and defending champions Cavalier FC and Tivoli Gardens will also clash.
