TOLL GATE, Clarendon — Linval ‘Pala’ Wilson, the Sporting Central Academy coach, has lauded his players for ending the first-round of the Red Stripe Premier League on a high.

The Clarendon side blanked Boys’ Town 2-0 on Sunday at their Juici Patties Park home base to improve their points total to 14 from 11 games — just two adrift of the top four.

That tally, as modest as it is, looked a dim prospect after their first

seven games.

Sporting had earned only six points from a possible 21, suffering five defeats while winning two. However, following the resignation of coach Merron Gordon in November, the team went on to earn eight points from a possible 12 in their last four first-round outings.

In that period, they drew 1-1 against Humble Lion in the Clarendon derby at Effortville, before recording victories over promoted August Town (3-2) and Boys’ Town — sandwiched by a 0-0 stalemate at Tivoli Gardens. However, it is the Boys’ Town performance that best pleased Wilson, who is now working alongside the club’s former head coach Nigel Stewart.

It was only the second time this season that Sporting were winning a game with a clean sheet, the other coming against Harbour View in their opening game of the season.

Wilson said: “We set out to get the maximum nine points from the last three games because we wanted to end the first round in about sixth or seventh. That 0-0 draw at Tivoli last week means we fall short.” (They are now in eighth.) “But we are very grateful for this victory. Today, the players executed the game plan.”

He added: “We have been creating a lot of chances, but haven’t been scoring so we are thankful for these two today.”

And they could have even scored more, especially the teenaged attacking midfielder, Cory Hylton, who got both goals.

The youngster, who played schoolboy football at both Denbigh High and Lennon High, opened the scoring in minute 37 with a beautiful effort — blasted home with the outside of his right foot — after being played through by captain Francois Swaby.

The same combination was responsible for the second goal when Swaby picked up a headed pass from the towering Melford Simpson and cut back the ball nicely for Hylton, who even had time to control before slotting past the helpless Boys’ Town goalie, Leon Goffe. But, just 15 minutes later, Hylton, who has so far netted three goals, missed a glorious chance — an even easier one than the previous two — to record his first top-flight hat-trick.

Again, the opening was created by Swaby – the team’s leading goalscorer with five goals — whose opportunistic effort ricocheted off the frame of the goal and fell nicely for Hylton. But, seemingly, caught in two minds, the 19-year-old hesitated then opted to stoop and head the ball tamely into Goffe’s welcoming arms — when it might have been easier for him to open his body and tap into

the net.

Nonetheless, the coach was full of praise for the match winner. “He is a youngster with a lot of potential,” Wilson told the Jamaica Observer. “He has been putting in the work.”