TUCKER, St James — Montego Bay United scored a morale-boosting 3-0 in over Harbour View win their Red Stripe Premier League second-round game at the WespoW Park in Tucker, St James, yesterday.

Three goals in an 11-minute first-half blitz from Lesley St Fleur, Fabian McCarthy and Omar Gordon, gave Montego Bay United their most satisfying result in several weeks after struggling to score in their previous 11 games.

Harbour View, the defending champions and league leaders, continued their downward spiral, winless in their last five outings and suffering back-to-back defeats.

The win saw Montego Bay United move back into second place on 36 points, one behind Harbour View before last night’s game between Waterhouse and Portmore United.

Despite their lean spell coming into the game, Hugh Solomon, who is guiding Montego Bay United, said they expected to score a lot of goals yesterday and was not surprised at the result.

“We have been working hard,” he told the Jamaica Observer. “The aim was to score four goals today, and we got three in the first half.”

Montego Bay United got the win without a number of their top players, including starting goalkeeper Jacomeno Barrett and striker Allan Ottey, who Solomon said had arrived at the venue after the time they were expected and were not included in the squad.

Andrew Hines, who was in charge for Harbour View yesterday, insisted there was no need for panic, and said the play-off format at the end was still in their favour.

He said the absence of a number of “our regular players” might have affected their rhythm, but took solace from a better second-half performance, which he said came after they “switched from the 4-4-2 formation to the 4-3-3 one” which he claimed allowed them more possession of the ball.

Teams:

Montego Bay United — Duvaun Smith, Olando McBayne, Lesly St Fleur, Dino Williams, Ronaldo Rodney (Jermaine Woozencroft-85th), Ladale Richie, Fabian McCarthy, Keneil Kirlew, Omar Gordon (Mauracio Gordon-34th), John Barrett, Donovan Carey (Winston Wilkinson-74th).

Subs not used: Leon Irving, Kemiro James, Romaine Jones, Terrence Johnson

Booked: None

Harbour View — Levor Williams, Dicoy Williams, Montrose Phinn, Xavian Virgo Christopher Harvey (Donovan Edwards-74th), Nicholas Beckett, Demar Rose, Kevaughn Frater (Ranique Muir-65th), Joel Senior (Damarley Oliver-69th), Brian Brown, McKaully Tulloch.

Subs not used: Michaud Barrett, Dejanni Issacs, Kemar Lawrence, Jorginho James

Booked: Muir (80th)

Referee: Dwight Royal

Assistants: Antoinette Williams, Melvin Reid

Fourth Official: Deron Davey

Match Commissary: Tracey Reid