University of the West Indies (UWI) FC had an explosive start to their 2019/20 Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) season, giving Tivoli Gardens a 4-0 schooling at UWI Mona Bowl yesterday.

Four players got on the scoresheet as UWI were on top of their game, passing their first test of the nine-month campaign with flying colours.

Thorn Simpson (13th), Jabari Hylton (50th), and substitutes Shuwayne Barrett (73rd) and Trivonte Stewart (84th) ensured the university side made light work of their West Kingston-based opponents who, though sporting pictures of their late chairman and former Prime Minister Edward Seaga on their jerseys, were truly off their game.

The win provisionally pushed UWI FC atop the 12-team standing with three points ahead of Cavalier FC — who were 3-1 winners over Dunbeholden FC at Stadium East, Humble Lion who tamed Arnett Gardens 3-1 at Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex, and Harbour View, who were 2-1 winners over Mount Pleasant Football Academy at Drax Hall in St Ann.

At Mona Bowl, both teams were slowly out the blocks at the start but the tempo gradually increased as UWI FC had a good passage of play which eventually resulted in the opening goal.

Simpson, who transferred from relegated Reno FC, was on hand to slot home in a goalmouth melee after Tivoli Gardens failed to clear their lines from Hylton’s initial free kick.

Tivoli Gardens came into their own and had two bites of the cherry in the 26th and 29th minutes, but Stephen Barnett, who had both chances, was not to celebrate against his former employers.

His first effort, which had diving custodian Amal Knight beaten, came back off the upright, while the second, a header, went just wide.

UWI could have increased the lead at the half-hour mark but a good build-up orchestrated by Simpson was wasted in the final third by Javoy Belnavis, whose tame effort was comfortably gobbled up by Nicholas Clarke in goal for Tivoli Gardens.

And former Portmore United defender Damano Solomon also squandered a glorious chance at an empty net. He missed the ball all over with a wild left-foot swing, as the score remained 1-0 at the break.

Barnett again had a good look at goal immediately on the resumption but failed to beat the gloves of Knight, and that was all the Phillip Williams-coached Tivoli Gardens team would get for the remainder of the contest.

UWI doubled the lead five minutes in when Andrew Humphrey fought hard to win possession down the right channel before firing in a cross for the unmarked Hylton to blast past the hapless Clarke.

From there, UWI were rampant and should have gone further ahead at the hour mark as the tiring Tivoli Gardens defence struggled to keep up, but Simpson wasted his chance at an empty net after leaving Clarke for dead in a one-on-one situation.

Six minutes later, Javoy Belnavis and Zhelano Barnes found themselves unmarked and in possession at the top of the Tivoli Gardens box but were undecided as to who should get the shot off, and were dispossessed by a recovering defender.

And if things weren’t already bad enough for Tivoli Gardens, Barrett, who replaced Hylton in attack, made it worse when he finished one from close range mere seconds after taking the pitch.

Another substitute, Stewart, then threw the proverbial salt on their already wounded opponents by finishing off a rebound after Belnavis’s initial effort was blocked by Clarke, to cap the win six minutes from time.

Teams

UWI FC — Amal Knight, Damano Solomon, Michael Heaven, Rushawn Plummer, Andrew Humphrey, Fabion McCarthy, Te-jaurn Williams, Zhelano Barnes, Jabari Hylton (Shuwayne Barrett 73rd), Javoy Belnavis (Pagiel Brown 86th), Thorn Simpson (Trivonte Stewart 65th)

Subs not used: Nicholas King, Shemar Hunter, Jahmorly Brissett

Booked: Plummer (14th)

Tivoli Gardens — Nicholas Clarke, Barrington Pryce, Kemar Flemmings, Shavar Campbell, Dwayne Smith (Howard Morris 58th), Horace Ramsey, Trayvone Reid, Junior McGregor (Tkevin Garnett 56th), Dasha Satchwell, Stephen Barnett, Lance Rutherford

Subs not used: Davian Watkins, Jermaine Johnson, Rochane Smith, Tarrick Burke, Anthony Nelson

Booked: Ramsey (25th)

Referee: Odette Hamilton

Assistant referees: Princess Brown, Melvin Reid

Fourth official: Derron Davy

Match commissary: Ainsley Sharpe

UWI FC……………………….4

Simpson (13th), Hylton (50th), Barrett (73rd), Stewart (84th)

Tivoli Gardens…………….0