Arnett hit Molynes for four

Arnett Gardens’ big 4-0 win over Molynes United Football Club in the Wray & Nephew-sponsored Jamaica Premier League (JPL) match yesterday can be a double-edged sword, head coach Xavier Gilbert has cautioned.

Four first-half goals, including a brace by Kimani Arbouine, carried Arnett Gardens to an easy win and first place in the league after two games.

“It can be good and it can be bad because you don’t want to get overconfident, but you want the players to be confident as well,” Gilbert cautioned during a post-game interview.

“You want to make sure they can go out there and execute and believe in their abilities, but you don’t want them to think that every game is gonna be like this. No, it doesn’t work like that.”

Gilbert said his task is to ensure that his young players stay even-keeled.

“Every game and every opposition are going to be different and we just have to be mindful of that,” he said.

Alex Thomas, head coach of Molynes United, called his team’s performance “poor”.

“Poor in the sense that we allowed them to score four goals and early in the game, too. Unacceptable,” Thomas lamented.

“We started out slow, lethargic, no energy, you know. We picked it up in the second half, we showed glimpses, but we have to remind ourselves that we can’t start games as slow as we did,” he said.

Despite this, Thomas said the objective for his team is to finish in the top six.

Arnett Gardens came out looking the more purposeful of the two teams and were rewarded early through Phillando Wing’s strike in the sixth minute.

Molynes United had a chance to pull one back through captain Jason Wright, but his header from just inside the 18-yard box sailed harmlessly over the crossbar.

Arnett Gardens then took full control with three goals in 13 minutes.

The second was an own goal turned in by Tajay Cooper after a neat build-up by the ‘Junglists’.

Arbouine’s first goal was a well-taken effort. He eluded a defender just outside the 18-yard box before unleashing a powerful right-footed shot that took a deflection before landing in the back of the Molynes net.

He returned in the 32nd minute to fire home from close range.

Jermy Nelson had a chance to get his name on the scoresheet minutes before the halftime break, but steered his shot wide of the target after a good build-up.

Molynes United looked more organised in the second half, but it was Arnett Gardens who got the first real chance after the break.

Jamone Shephard dragged his shot wide of the target after he was played through with a delightful pass.

Jaheim Palmer almost pulled one back for Molynes after Arnett Gardens’ goalkeeper Richard White mishandled his attempted cross. The clearance by the Arnett defence landed at the feet of the Molynes attacker, who shot wide with goalkeeper White down injured.