MONTEGO Bay United took a decisive step toward retaining their Red Stripe Premier League title by hammering Waterhouse 3-1 in the first-leg semi-final showdown at Drewsland on Monday night.

Montego Bay United, who defeated Waterhouse in last year’s final, were given a healthy boost for a repeat with second-half goals from Allan Ottey (62nd), Dino Williams (72nd) and second-half substitute Donovan Carey (80th).

Substitute Andre Leslie gave Waterhouse a glimmer of hope netting in time added with virtually the last kick of the game.

Waterhouse, on the back of two impressive displays, encouraged one of the largest crowds to attend the Drewsland Mini Stadium to witness the clash with third-placed Montego Bay United and for the first 10 minutes, Waterhouse flourished. But after that, it was all Montego Bay.

With the visitors dominating play, it made for a one-sided and dull game.

Where Waterhouse dissipated much of their energy levels in their warm-up phase, Montego Bay introduced that level of energy into the game phase and it worked for them, ultimately resulting in a three-goal 18-minute blitz.

Waterhouse could have suffered from a poor left side selection, while leaving out a natural left-back in Andre Messam, for the capable right-footed Oshane Roberts who seldom uses the left foot and is prone to leave his position on the left to go inside in order to employ the use of the right foot.

It was, therefore, little surprise that the first two goals scored by Montego Bay United came as a result from errors created on the left side.

A heartened Montego Bay coach, Dr Dean Weatherly, attributed his team’s success to “hard work over the past two weeks with consistent attention to duty”.

“We went to Haiti for a camp where we were successful. We came here and replicated the type of dedication and consistency (that brings success) as in a semi-final or final you have to be consistent in what you are doing and it paid off,” he said.

Responding to the question of whether he thinks that the two-goal cushion going into the second leg is enough to take his team through to the final, coach Weatherly said: “Well, we are not focusing on this game again any more. The next time around is a new game and a new beginning, which simply means that we have to go back and start all over once more,” he added.

Anthony Patrick, his Waterhouse counterpart, was not enthused by his team’s lacklustre performance. “We were flat in the first half. We spoke about it at the half-time break, but we returned not looking that purposeful once again. We committed two mistakes at the back and gave up two early goals in the second half, and from then on it was an uphill task,” he noted.

TEAMS:

Waterhouse FC — Richard Mc Callum, Oshane Roberts, Andre Leslie (75th), Nicholi Finlayson, Jermaine Anderson, Hughan Gray, Steffan Logan (Tremaine Stewart 50th), Damarley Samuels, Romario Campbell, Adoah Nickle (Kenroy Howell 63rd), Rohan Amos, Evan Taylor.

Subs not used: George Brown, Andre Messam, Jamoly Powell, Omar Walcott

Booked: Taylor (10th), Amos (89th)

Montego Bay — Jacomeno Barrett, Ladale Richie, Winston Wilkinson, Keneil Kirlew (Ronaldo Rodney 14th), Jermaine Woozencraft, Orlando McBayne, Dwayne Ambusley, Lesly St Fleur, Dino Williams, Allan Ottey, Graeme Green (Donovan Carey 60th).

Subs not used: Garen Downie, Dwayne Holmes, Kashief Brown, Kemiro James, Cornelius Henry

Booked: Rodney (27th), Wilkinson (44th)

Referee: Courtney Campbell

Assistant Referees: Keble Williams, Lloyd Edwards

Fourth Official: Kevin Morrison

Match Commissioner: Ewan Scott