Molynes look to build on solid second-round start
Published:Tuesday | April 19, 2022 | 12:07 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer -
Following their 2-1 win over fellow strugglers Montego Bay United in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) yesterday, Molynes United coach Garnett Lawrence is hoping his team can continue to build on what they have achieved in the second round so far.
Jahiem Harris fired Molynes in front after nine minutes and Nicholas Nelson made it 2-0 in the 39th minute in the game played at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex in Arnett Gardens.
Odane Nish pulled a goal back for Montego Bay in the 77th minute but Molynes held on to take three points and jump one place to ninth in the table on 14 points, one behind eighth-place Tivoli.
Molynes have taken 10 points from the last five matches, and although Lawrence admits that getting a play-offs spot might be difficult, he hopes his team continues to gather steam in the second round.
"We wanted it to be better but we played in spurts. For teams like Molynes and Montego Bay who are really fighting (to stay in the league), it was never going to be easy.
"I am pleased for the three points. I really like the effort they put in. We are looking to stay out of the bottom two and also build a momentum.
"It has been a fairly new team since January and we just want to build a good momentum. So we stay positive and go for three points when we play again," he said.
Harris gave Molynes the brightest of starts when he cut inside of two defenders before firing his team ahead.
Nelson had a similar opportunity moments later but failed to beat Davonnie Burton from 12 yards.
Montego Bay's Ewan Burton flashed a header just past the upright soon after but Nelson made it 2-0 six minutes before the break when he picked up a loose ball, wriggled free and fired past Harrison.
Nelson, the team's leading scorer with six goals, then missed two great chances to add to their lead.
After the break, Montego Bay were a lot more purposeful and should have scored on 62 minutes but Burton headed over from five yards.
Montego Bay's assistant coach, Dwayne Ambursley, said they started too slow and left themselves with too much to do in the end.
"We started the first half way too flat. Second half, we put a lot more effort into what we were doing, people were making interceptions and trying to get into the box.
"But it was too late because we gave away two cheap goals and we left ourselves with too much to do," he said.
Montego Bay remain rooted at the bottom of the standings on seven points, five points off 11th-place Humble Lion. In yesterday's second match, Arnett Gardens and Humble Lion played to a 1-1 draw. Both goals came in the first half. Romeo Guthrie scored in the 12th minute for Arnett Gardens and Andre Clennon equalised for Humble Lion in the 21st.