First half riot!... Waterhouse score four then shut it down

Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer

An impressive first half display by Waterhouse saw them romp to an emphatic 4-0 win over problem-stricken Benfica in their third round Digicel Premier League encounter yesterday at the Drewsland Stadium.

Waterhouse's goals, which all came in the first half, were scored by Weston Forrest (13th), Jermaine Anderson (15th) and Vincent Earle (36th and 43rd).

Sprightly start

Sporting their new look jerseys, Waterhouse got off to a sprightly start and had to wait only 13 minutes into the game to register their first goal, courtesy of a Forrest strike from four yards out.

Their supporters were still celebrating when their joy was doubled in the 15th minute thanks to a typical thunderous finish by Anderson.

Benfica ended the game with 10 players after Garfield Reid was sent off following two bookable offences committed in the 42nd and 68th minutes. He did however, come closest to scoring for the visitors when in the 21st minute he hammered a 25-yard free kick, which Waterhouse's custodian Richard McCallum had to dive full stretch to his right to tip around his post.

With goals on offer, Earle was not to be left out and converted his first of the afternoon in the 36th minute when he air-piled Benfica's Devon Powell on the edge of the 18-yard box before slotting past the helpless Donnovan Hynes in goal.

He grabbed his second two minutes before the half-time interval when he was beautifuly played through by Anderson. He then easily got by the last defender before stroking the ball past the out rushing Hynes.

That however, marked the end of Waterhouse's goal scoring for the game, despite creating several chances in the second half. A fact that disappointed head coach Baris Johnson.

Killer instinct

"We need to find the killer instinct were we finish off the game, if we can score eight, nine and ten goals then we should," Johnson stated. "The game is played for 90 minutes, not 45," he added.

Benfica's president, Tyrone Rose admitted that the off-field problems facing the club are affecting their performances on the field as they have now gone eight games without a win but expects a turnaround as soon as the next game.

Rose said: "We want to mimic the first round were we lost the first two matches and then rebounded from that, so on Wednesday we expect to rebound from the game versus Portmore."