CATHERINE HALL, St James — Montego Bay United (MBU) are fast earning the title of comeback kings of the Red Stripe Premier League after losing a 1-0 half-time lead to battle back for a 2-2 draw against defending champions Arnett Gardens in a first-round game on Monday night at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.

The point saw MBU improve their lead to three points on 18 at the top of the table, three more than Portmore United and Humble Lion, with Arnett Gardens in fourth place on 14 points, same as Tivoli Gardens, but with a better goal difference.

Owayne Gordon has been the leader of the resurgence on three of the four occasions the former champions have dug themselves out of holes to earn a point with his fantastic 88th-minute free kick, three minutes after Marcelino Blackburn had given the visitors what looked to be all three points with an equally sublime free kick.

Dino Williams’ ninth goal of the season, in nine games, had given the home team the lead in the second minute, in their first nationally televised home game in over a year.

Despite creating numerous scoring opportunities against a suspect Arnett Gardens defence, the lead lasted until the 71st minute when both teams exploded for three goals in 17 minutes.

Kemal Malcolm scored for the second straight game after earning a start, equalising after yet another goalkeeping mistake by the experienced Jacomeno Barrett, before Blackburn beat the former national custodian at his near left post.

Gordon had previously saved MBU in two earlier games, scoring in the 85th minute to get a 1-1 draw against Humble Lion, and in time added on for a 2-2 draw against Harbour View after they trailed 2-0 with less than five minutes to go, both at WesPow Park.

Williams had scored twice, including a late winner away to FC Reno in a come-from-behind 2-1 win in another game.

The draw also extended Arnett’s dismal performance in Montego Bay, as they have won just once in six games dating back to the 2011-12 season.

MBU coach Tim Hankinson while saying his team “let this one get away” after dominating the possession and chances for long periods, told reporters there was progress, even with one point.

“Anytime you are building points, whether it’s one or three, that’s progress and keeps you moving up the ladder and trying to create distance between the other teams,” he said.

The American added that his team wasted too many opportunities to add to the lead and almost paid for it. “But the way we played the first half without question we had to capitalise on more of those opportunities, you never see a half like this with so many breaks, so many well-constructed opportunities,” he said.

“I looked at the bench one time and said it’s going to be one of those nights that even though we got one, not getting two going into the half time means we are going to have a rough second half.”

He said Arnett were too good for MBU “to think that you can hold 1-0 and the night was going to settle that way, so give them credit, we made mistakes at the back, two great free kicks and we have to take the point knowing we will play them again”.

Hankinson admitted his team and in particular goalkeeper Barrett made costly mistakes and hinted that there will be changes in tomorrow’s game against Waterhouse at WesPow Park.

Arnett’s coach Jerome Waite told reporters that getting a point from their long trip was worth it. “To travel from Kingston to the farthest point in the country and get a point showed character and both teams played well, so a draw is a fair result.”

Waite said they made adjustments at half-time to match the hosts and it paid off. “One of the things we did not do in the first half, which MoBay did throughout, was making the final pass from midfield to attack and it was that telling ball that resulted in the equaliser…that’s what I asked them at half-time; but we still not doing enough, but it was a quality game.”

Having been given a reprieve, Arnett made full use of it and grabbed two goals in less than 15 minutes to swing the game in their favour.

An ill-timed charge out of his area by Barrett resulted in Malcolm’s chip shot bouncing into the goal.

Blackburn’s free kick from the right side of the 18-yard box curled into the near upright.

Gordon got his fifth goal of the season with the free kick.