After seeing Portmore United’s four-game unbeaten run come to an end, head coach Rodolph Austin believes relegation battlers Chapelton Maroons showed more grit in the 0-1 loss on Sunday in the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League at Ferdie Neita Park.

Coming into the contest, Portmore had important victories over leaders Mount Pleasant, Harbour View and Vere Phoenix.

However, despite dominating possession, they were undone by the Clarendon-based outfit who found the lone goal in the 32nd minute through Javel Ellis.

While disappointed in his team’s efforts, Austin says Chapelton deserved the three points due to their performance over the 90 minutes.

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“It didn’t happen for us today, Chapelton looked the hungrier team and you have to give credit where credit is due. I told my team before the game, it’s going to be tough. These are the things we always talk about,” he said.

“It’s just one of the games; in football you get what you work for and Chapelton worked for the three points and they got it.”

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Austin, though, says Portmore’s fortunes could have changed with better tactical execution.

“Chapelton came here, they were playing a semi-low block with a lot of people behind the ball. I said to my team that it was a flank game but we were trying to play between them when we should have been playing wide and around them,” he said.

“We got a chance in the first half that we should have scored, an easy chance that we should have tucked away but we didn’t. The game could have changed there but credit where credit is due; when my team loses, I have to give the other team credit,” Austin said.

Portmore remain comfortably in a play-off spot in fourth on 53 points but they’re now 11 points behind the top two which would automatically secure their place in the semi-finals.

Chapelton, on the other hand, continue their push to steer clear of the relegation zone as they jump to 10th on 29 points, four clear of 13th place Humble Lion who have a game in hand.

After picking up seven points from a potential nine in the last three matches, technical director Vassell Reynolds praised his team’s determination on Sunday.

“It’s a big morale booster. What is good for us and what I’m elated about is the last session that we did, this is something we worked on coming into the game. We know Portmore was not scoring a lot but they were very mean in defence so we thought if we get a half chance, let’s take it and let’s try and win 1-0 or leave with something. We’re leaving with 3 points so it’s a very good performance from the team,” Reynolds said.

—Daniel Blake

SUNDAY’S RESULTS
Portmore 0, Chapelton 1
Tivoli Gardens 1, Racing 0
Humble Lion 0, Montego Bay 0
Vere Phoenix 0, Dunbeholden 0

MONDAY’S GAMES
5:00 pm — Molynes United vs Arnett Gardens @ Drewsland
7:45 pm — Waterhouse vs Harbour View @ Drewsland