Gordon ready to take up goalscoring mantle at MoBay United

Owayne Gordon scored two goals and created another as Montego Bay United put on a master class to put away host Boys' Town 4-0 in their Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) football game at Barbican Complex yesterday.

After the departure of Dino Williams, the league and club's leading goalscorer, MoBay United's faithfuls have looked to the former Arnett Gardens youth striker Gordon, to take up the mantle, and the speedy and skilful striker is ready.

"I know that it is a big responsibility, but I am willing to take up the challenge," Gordon told The Gleaner.

"That's why I always come to training and match with a determined and hard-working intention. I have to get the job done as that is the only option to move the team forward, and without the marksman (Dino Williams), I have to become the marksman, so I have to take full responsibility," he insisted.

Gordon fired the visitors in front after just two minutes, beating Kirk Porter in goal with a well-struck free kick. However, the Boys' Town custodian should take some blame for Gordon's second, eight minutes later, as the forward's weak attempt squeezed between his legs.

The western Jamaica club thought they were 3-0 up when they pulled apart Boys' Town with a swift one-touch counter-attacking move, which was calmly slotted home by Ronaldo Rodney, only for the latter to be flagged for offside.

Allan Ottey made it 3-0 six minutes into the second half after dicing his way between defenders before slamming a left-footed shot off Porter's near post.

DECIDING GOAL

Rodney sealed the win for the Paul 'Tegat' Davis-coached team when Gordon broke away from the Boys' Town defence and cut back for the midfielder to score from 10 yards.

Gordon nearly had his hat-trick a minute later, but his effort hit the post.

"I had a great performance," the 24-year-old admitted. "But from the training sessions, I have been working very hard because the last game, I didn't score a goal and I was beating myself as I don't think a striker should go a game, without a goal, so I just worked hard in the training sessions and I came here and scored two goals and had an assist. It's a great feeling.

"But I couldn't do it alone as it takes team work and my team made my performance look excellent today," he said.

Gordon's brace puts him on 11, one goal behind Arnett Gardens' Kemal Malcolm, who has scored 12 goals. Williams (14) and Corey Burke (12), who both moved overseas in January, lead the scoring charts. Gordon also wants to win the Golden Boot award.

"I've moved to 11 goals, so I absolutely want to win. I see that it is there to win, so there is no doubt that I am going for it," he said.

The win kept MoBay (51) at the top of the standings, two more than Arnett Gardens, which hammered Reno FC 6-0 in a late game at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex. Michaelous Martin led the way with a hat-trick, while Malcolm, Leon Strickland, and Guy McIntosh were the other scorers.

In the day's other early game, Paul Wilson's 86th-minute strike saw Portmore to a 1-0 win over parish rivals Rivoli United at Spanish Town Prison Oval, while bottom-of-the-table Waterhouse continued in a 0-1 home loss at Drewsland to 10th-placed Tivoli Gardens. Donovan Dawkins scored for Tivoli Gardens, which advanced to 29 points, while Waterhouse remain on 21, one more than Rivoli.