Reno start with win, MBU lose to Portmore at first hurdle

Western Bureau:

FC Reno, boasting some new faces and a new coach in charge, defeated Humble Lion 1-0 at the Frome Sports Complex to begin the 2015-16 Red Stripe Premier League season in fine style. The win came thanks to an 81st-minute headed goal from Kevar Walker.

However, it was the other way around for Montego Bay United (MBU), who suffered a 2-0 loss to the returning Portmore United.

MBU were undone by their former attacking midfielder, Ricardo Morris, who fired the visiting Portmore ahead in the 63rd minute before putting the icing on the cake with a sublime effort that took Jacomino Barrett in the MBU goal by surprise.

That goal came in the 77th, and it left their coach, Tim Hankinson, an angry man, as it was their third-straight loss spanning the Scotia Bank CONCACAF Champions League, and now the first match of the Red Stripe Premier League season.

MBU has so far given up eight goals, scoring none; cause for major concern, according to Hankinson.

poor performance

"Our performance is not good enough at this level. We lack quality out there, and it's something we will have to fix in training before our next game on Sunday," he said.

"I am angry that we are just not doing well, and it's frustrating because we have a couple of national players here, and still we look shabby all over the field," Hankinson said.

But it was joy for coach Junior Francis after the full-time whistle at Frome, as Reno began their campaign with a bang in a game which had its first half spoilt by rain. Francis underlined that he is, however, already looking forward to Sunday's clash with former team Waterhouse FC.

"I spent three seasons there (Waterhouse), so I am expecting a real tough match. But we have players at Reno who are coachable, and that is good. The win gives us a good vibe, and we hope to carry through from here," he said.