MoBay misses big chance in 2-2 draw with Cavalier

Western Bureau:

MONTEGO BAY United (MBU) missed a chance to pick up their first home win of the season after playing to a 2-2 draw with Cavalier that extended their unbeaten run to four in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) at the WesPow Park in Tucker, St James, yesterday.

Cavalier took the lead in the 16th minute when Collin Anderson headed home a low in-swinging corner. The visitors played a patient game throughout the remainder of the first half to hold the advantage at the interval.

MBU came out after the break searching for the equaliser and eventually found it off the boot of Shandee Brooks four minutes from the hour mark. After getting back into the game, the host now set their sights on clinching the win in front of their fans. They were rewarded with a bit of fortune, assuming the lead when a wrong-footed Kyle Mings deflected the ball into his own net from a low left-sided cross.

Just when MBU fans believed that they would witness their first home win from the error in judgment, another mistake levelled the affair.

MBU goalkeeper Peter Sinclair ill-advisedly left his line, leaving the in-form Dwayne Atkinson to slot the ball into an empty net.

Leacroft Lettman, coach of MBU, bemoaned the lack of experience in not closing out the game for their first home win, especially for the fans.

“We never killed the game. We went up 2-1, and with less than 20 minutes, we could have, but they are young ... . It shows the lack of experience in the players. I know it’s something that fans would have wanted, and we wanted it as well,” said Lettman, who added that they would try to give the fans a win on the last day of the season at home.

‘BELIEVE IN THE PROCESS’

“We have Vere at home after Harbour View, and we are trying to finish strong. We started late on the gas, but I tell my players to believe in the process, and once we finish strong, the support will be strong for next season,” he added.

Rudolph Speid, technical director of Cavalier, said he was satisfied with the point because it should take them into the playoffs. The point was even more enjoyable for Speid given the number of players Cavalier have missing.

“We are missing five national players, two for Jamaica, two for St Lucia, and one Antiguan, so we really did not have the depth that we are used to. However, I think we had the ascendancy and let them back into the game. In the end, it’s a fair result, so we are satisfied because coming here is always a struggle with the travelling, plus we play on Sunday,” Speid said.

The result sees Cavalier miss the opportunity to seal a playoff spot. They sit in fifth on 31 points with a game in hand and six points ahead of Tivoli (20 games played). Harbour View, with 24 points also have a game in hand. MBU remains rooted at the foot of the 12-team table with 11 points.