DEFENDING champions Arnett Gardens returned to the winning path in the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) by edging UWI FC 1-0 in their second round opening at the UWI Bowl yesterday.

In other matches, Portmore United FC beat leaders Montego Bay United FC 1-0 to join them on 24 points but Montego Bay United remain in the lead with a superior goal difference.

Harbour View beat Boys’ Town 2-1, and Waterhouse and Rivoli United drew 1-1 at Drewsland.

Right winger Leon Strickland made his most distinguishing mark throughout the match by beating UWI goalkeeper Amal Knight from 25 yards in minute 62 to hand Arnett Gardens three valuable points, but it was a struggle to get them.

The win has, nonetheless, moved Arnett Gardens into third place on 20 points after Humble Lion FC, who started the round on 18 points, drew 0-0 with FC Reno at Effortville in another RSPL game.

Arnett Gardens looked stale and listless against a UWI team that was not much better as they failed to take advantage of a number of openings that fell to them, especially in the second half.

This was after both teams failed to get going in the first half and distinguished themselves with an array of misplaced passes. Knight remained a mere spectator for the opening 45 minutes as he had nothing bothersome that went his way.

Eugene Williams stood in as head coach for the absent Jerome Waite, but Assistant Coach Orlando Clarke, probably so disappointed with the team’s below par performance, was very brief in his post-game comments. “Arnett Gardens came for three points against UWI and we got them. There is not much more that I can say.”

Teams: UWI — Amal Knight, Dravian Williams, Deno Schaffe, Jamie Robinson, Roshane Smith, Anthony Greenland (Mitch Wright 75th), Stephen Lowe, Ramoun Reid, Kemar Flemmings (Raffique Bryan 39th), Girvan Brown, Patrick Brown (Daniel Gilzene 82nd)

Subs not used: Leighton Donaldson, Deighton Stewart, Jamie Samuels, Owen Hill

Booked: Smith (43rd)

Arnett Gardrens — Damian Hyatt, Oniel Thompson, Dicoy Williams, Jabeur Johnson, Andrew Phang (Newton Sterling 60th), Jahmeel Thompson, Jason Moore Vishinul Harris (Jarmar Jackson 90th+1), Kemal Malcolm (Lennox Russell 81st), Leon Strickland, Marcelino Blackburn

Subs not used: Peter Harrison, Jamar Martin, Neicko Williams, Andre Moulton

Booked: Phang (41st), Sterling (66th), Jahmeel Thompson (69th)

Referee: Daneon Parchment

Assistant Referee: Nicholas Anderson, Ojay Duhaney

Fourth Official: Veralton Nembhard

Match Commissioner: James Pearson