MBU’s coach unfazed by delay in qualification for RSPL semis
TUCKER, St James — Despite losing 1-2 to Cavalier SC in their third-round game at the WesPow Park on Sunday and having to wait at least one more round to qualify for the semi-finals of the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL), Carlos Garcia, coach of the Montego Bay United said they were not worried.
Goals from Girvon Brown in the first half and Donovan Edwards in the second half led Cavalier to a hard-fought and contentious win that saw them improve to 43 points, while Montego Bay stayed on 52 in third place.
Dino Williams had levelled the scores in the 25th minute, but despite creating several chances, they failed to get the win that would have taken them into the semi-finals along with Arnett Gardens and Waterhouse.
Garcia said: “We are not worried as we know we will qualify.” He added that he was satisfied with the number of chances they had created. “Once we are getting the chances we will score goals; this might be the most chances we have created at home this season.”
Cavalier’s Rudolph Speid was pleased with his team’s win but rued the earlier losses that left them short of what he thought was a semi-final place. “We knew we had the team to challenge for a semi-final place but we will come back strong next year.”
MBU got off to the better start and pressured the Cavalier defence but Orlando McBayne and Williams missed good chances to score.
Cavalier took the lead in the 16th minute after the MBU defence was caught flat and Brown volleyed home from just outside the six-yard area.
The home team should have drawn level a minute later but Williams headed powerfully over the bar after Allan Ottey had served up an inch-perfect cross from the left side.
Williams eventually pulled his team level in the 25th minute when McBayne found him with a pass from the right and he swept it past Devon Haughton from about eight yards.
MBU could have been up 2-1 two minutes later after Haughton left his line and was stranded on the edge of the box but Williams’ chip was inches high over the bar.
After missing at least four clear chances late in the first half, MBU got another good chance early in the second half but Ottey’s shot, hit with the outside of the left boot from the left flank, curled just wide of the far post.
MBU were made to pay for the wastefulness as Edwards punished them with a shot from the left side into the far corner in the 65th minute to give Cavalier the victory.
Teams: Montego Bay United — David Swaby, Winston Wilkinson, Ladale Richie, Ricardo Morris, Allan Ottey, Ronaldo Rodney (Dwayne Ambusley 70th), Orlando McBayne, Donovan Carey (Kashief Brown 71st), Dino Williams, Fabian McCarthy, Dwayne Holmes (Jermaine Woozencroft 82nd)
Subs not used: Garen Downie, Troy Smith, Kemiro James, Keniel Kirlew
Booked: Williams (78th)
Cavalier SC — Devon Haughton, Jeffrey Henry, Al Nesbeth, Raheem Ellis, Norman Bailey, Liston James (Akino Sadler 83rd), Donovan Edwards, Dwayne Smith, Jeffrey Grant, Girvon Brown (Richard Higgins 80th), Alex Bennett (Paul Doyle 57th)
Subs not used: Nicholas Hamilton, Everdeen Scarlett, Alex Marshall, Hakim Williams
Booked: Smith (42nd), James (81st)
Referee: Kevin Morrison
Assistant Referees: Melvin Reid, Ojay Duhaney
Fourth Official: Leon Brown
Match Commissary: Lorraine Scringer