MBU back on top after Racing mauling

MONTEGO BAY United scored twice in each half to dispatch Racing United 4-0 at the Ferdie Neita Park yesterday to reclaim top spot in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL).

First-half strikes from Brian Brown (36th) and Shaniel Thomas (40th) as well as late second-half goals from Tyrone Harrison (90+1) and Johan Weatherley (90+4) helped the St James team secure their sixth win in nine matches.

“The most important thing was the performance,” said winning Argentine coach Rodolfo Zapata.

“We created so many opportunities. We tried to play good football and build from the back to create opportunities, and we did.”

Although Racing sit second from bottom on eight points from nine matches, Zapata insisted that a the game was not as easy as the scoreline suggests.

“The boys responded positively to the game. And it was not an easy game because all the teams fighting relegation don’t want to lose. So everybody thinks it was going to be an easy game. At the end we finished 4-0, but it was not easy,” he declared.

Montego Bay dominated from the early minutes, with Thomas and Owayne Gordon threatening.

Thomas then flashed a header wide while Brown had another excellent header blocked by an impressive Carlye Holmes in goal.

Brown eventually broke the deadlock when he turned home a left-sided cross from Darnell Hospedales to put MoBay in front.

Thomas then made amends for his earlier miss when he guided a beautiful header into the far post to make it 2-0 moments before the break.

The one-way traffic continued after the break, but the former champions didn’t get a third until added time when Harrison scored.

Weatherley then scored the goal of the game after riding a heavy challenge and then dismissing Holmes in goal before slotting home.

“Today we were just flat,” said Racing assistant coach Donovan Lofters. “Everything went wrong. No organisation at the back. We never transitioned well. So we have a lot of things to work on before Wednesday.

“I don’t know if we are demotivated or they were just not connected or were communicating properly. It was just one of them days. We just have to go back to the training ground and fix it because we have Cavalier on Wednesday,” he said.

MoBay (20 points) are on the same number of points as Waterhouse, who leapfrogged Portmore United with a 2-0 win over Humble Lion in yesterday’s late game. Portmore are now third on 19 points with Arnett a point back on 18.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com

Yesterday’s Results

Racing United 0-4 Montego Bay United

Vere Phoenix 2-2 Tivoli Gardens

Harbour View 0-0 Cavalier

Portmore United 0-1 Arnett Gardens

Waterhouse 2-0 Humble Lion