Portmore, Sporting puff hard, but only blow fumes in stalemate

Nodley Wright, Gleaner Writer

Former champions Portmore United and Humble Lions on Sunday produced a lot of smoke but no fire as they played to a 0-0 draw in the Digicel Premier League at Ferdie Neita Park.

With the number of plots and subplots in the story, especially with Portmore United challenging for the league lead, and Humble Lions battling to stay above relegation, the game was expected to be a cracker.

Also expected to add an edge to the match was the number of former Portmore United players representing Humble Lions wanting to prove that they still can cut it.

Humble Lions' coach, Lenworth Hyde Sr, who had spoken boldly about his strengthened team after their win over leaders Tivoli Gardens a week earlier, was not happy with their performance.

"I did not like our performance. We played a better game in the first half. I just spoke to the team a while ago and I said to them that you cannot play 45 minutes of football and not create any chances," he said after his charges added just one point to their 29, which keeps them in 10th place, just above the relegation zone currently occupied by St Georges Sports Club and Benfica.

Not composed

"We defended well when we did not have the ball, but when we had it, we were not composed. We did not do enough to create any scoring opportunities. We were not getting the scoring opportunities, so I don't think we had a good game overall," Hyde added.

Portmore's Linval Dixon, whose team was following up last week's loss with the draw, bemoaned his team's continued failure to find the back of the net.

"Both teams dug in and I have always believed that in these games you are not going to get a lot of chances, but I still think we got enough chances where we could have won," said Dixon.

"Lack of scoring has been our downfall since the start of the season and it keeps haunting us," added Dixon, whose team remains third with 46 points.

In truth, Portmore United had the better opportunities to score. Just before half-time, they had two of their best chances.

Tremaine Stewart was set up excellently by Andrew Vanzie's pass, which befuddled the Humble Lions backline. Springing the offside trap, Stewart evaded the exposed Shawn Sawyers, but placed his effort agonisingly wide.

Just a minute later, Morrissey did good work on the left side and crossed for the trio of Stewart, Ricardo Cousins, and captain Mario Swaby, but none of them managed to make contact from close range.

Cousins then had a solid drive beaten away by Sawyers in the 48th minute, and substitute Paul Wilson drove just wide from the right of the 18-yard box in time added.

Humble Lions also had their opportunities, with the skilful Carlington Smith getting on the end of a move he started, to have two efforts at goal, but none bothered Garice McPherson, the Portmore United goalkeeper.

Kevin Lamey was left largely on his own up front, especially in the second half where he had just one self-created effort on goal, which McPherson dealt with comfortably.