TUCKER, St James – Defending champions Montego Bay United continued their excellent run of form in the Red Stripe Premier league yesterday beating leaders Waterhouse FC 1-0 at the WestpoW Park. This win cuts Waterhouse’s lead in the competition to two points and allowed the MoBay team to avenge their first round loss.

Allan Ottey’s seventh goal of the season, in the 27th minute rocked Waterhouse who despite going down to 10 players close to half time were still able to dominate the second half.

Goalkeeper Richard McCallum was sent off by referee Courtney Campbell in the 42nd minute after he handled the ball outside the area. Waterhouse were then forced to use defensive midfielder Evon Taylor as a make shift stopper as they had no reserve goalkeeper on the bench.

Waterhouse’s coach Anthony Patrick explained afterwards that their two backups were unavailable, with one being ill and the other in school.

Waterhouse are still at the top of the points tables on 27 points but Montego Bay United have now crept up closer on 25 with Arnett Gardens next on 23 and Harbour View on 22 in fourth place.

Carlos Garcia, the Montego Bay United coach was delighted with the win, their fourth straight at home and third in a row overall.

“This is a big win for us,” he said of the team that was without at least four regular starters who were out with injuries, “another win at home and a clean sheet and the players played their hearts out and made the effort.”

In the second half where they gave up the ball to Waterhouse he said the team “had difficulties managing the situation as they tried to use the long ball over the top but it did not work.”

Patrick said the inability to finish chances has haunted his team and told reporters, “we went down to 10 men but we took charge of the entire second half but was unfortunate not to score, we had a lot of one on one chances and it came back to hurt us.”

The game got off to a fast start with Waterhouse’s Damarly Samuels hitting the bar in the second minute but the home team responded with Ronaldo Rodney missing from close range a minute later and Graeme Green sending a powerful shot just wide in the fourth minute.

Montego Bay United were quicker to the ball and picked off a number of back passes from a confused looking Waterhouse defence which relaxed and allowed Ottey’s goal.

The striker was picked out with a precise pass from Keniel Kirlew and had time to pick his spot and blast the ball past McCallum in the 27th minute.

McCallum was sent off in the 42nd minute when he came out of his box to clear a high ball but was forced to handle it after he saw it moving away from him.

Teams:

Montego Bay United-

Jacomeno Barrett, Keneil Kirlew, Cordel Simpson, Ladale Richie (Jermaine Woozencroft-84th), Lesly St Fleur, Dwayne Ambusley, Ronaldo Rodney, John Barrett, Dino Williams, Graeme Green Ocarey Spence-65th), Allan Ottey (Omar Gordon-75th)

Subs not used: G Downie, W Wilkinson, J Haughton, K Atkinson

Booked: Simpson24th, Williams-35th

Waterhouse-

Richard McCallum, Nicholi Finlayson, Jermaine Anderson (Adoah Nickle-87th), Tremaine Stewart, Hughan Gray, Damarley Samuels, Juvaune Benjamin (Oshane Roberts-78th), Damion Binns, Romario Campbell (Jomoly Powell-83, Rohan Amos, Evon Taylor

Subs not used: A Mullings, V Hayles, M Laing, U Edwards

Booked:

Sent off- McCallum – 42nd

Referee: Courtney Campbell

Assistants: Kedlee Powell, Sean Wright

Fourth Official: Danion Parchment

Match Commissary: Devon Maxwell