Waterhouse lead the way in JPL

Waterhouse moved to the top of the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) standings on goal difference after playing out a 1-1 draw with reigning champions Portmore United at Ferdi Neita Park on Thursday.

Jevaughn Grant opened the scoring for Portmore in the 22nd minute before Rohan Brown pulled Waterhouse level in the 28th.

After the match, Ricardo Martin, assistant coach for Waterhouse, said the game played out much like he expected between two equally matched teams.

“It’s one of those things when two equal teams play. They were the ones at home, so they were always going to be the aggressors,” Martin said.

With the result, Waterhouse moved to the top of the JPL standings with 10 points, level with Montego Bay United.

However, Waterhouse hold the advantage with a superior goal difference.

Portmore, on the other hand, remain seventh in the standings on five points, pulling away from Arnett Gardens, Mount Pleasant, and Phoenix Chapelton Maroons, who all sit on four.

It was the hosts who took the lead through Grant, who was in the right place at the right time to turn in the opener.

Javier Brown picked up the ball in the middle of the pitch before letting loose an effort from range that forced a save from goalkeeper Akeem Bernard.

Bernard’s parried save, however, went only as far as Grant, who popped up in the box to finish from close range.

Waterhouse quickly pulled level, however, when Brown peeled off his defender to hit a well-struck volley into the bottom left corner off a free-kick delivery from Mario Simms.

Portmore came close to a second in the 40th when Grant got off a shot from the edge of the box, but a deflection from Waterhouse’s defence took the sting off the ball to allow a simple save for Bernard.

Portmore continued to press and looked set to get another goal in the second half when Tedj Bryan flicked the ball to the far post, but goalkeeper Bernard went full stretch to keep it out.

With 10 minutes left on the clock, Portmore United felt they had restored their lead when Bryan headed home from close range, but the goal was immediately called back as Bryan was adjudged to have been offside.

Neither team could find the goal to break the deadlock before the final whistle brought an end to the game.

Rudolph Austin, Portmore United’s head coach, said he was pleased with the team’s overall performance.

He, however, said he believed they conceded cheaply, which cost them the win in the end.

“I think it was a very good game of football. I think both teams played well,” Austin said. “It was just that sometimes we didn’t capitalise on a few situations. We took the lead, and we were playing well, but then we gave up a soft goal. We can’t be giving up goals like that at this level, so for me, that was the only disappointment.”

Portmore will now turn their attention to the Concacaf Caribbean Cup semi-finals, where they will face Violette AC of Haiti, and Waterhouse will take on Tru Juice FC in JPL action.

gregory.bryce@gleanerjm.com