MBU sweeps Tivoli

Montego Bay United on Thursday night completed a third straight clean sweep after beating Tivoli Gardens 2-0 in their third round Red Stripe Premier League game at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.

In a tough bruising encounter that saw eight cards been handed out by referee Daneon Parchment, Owayne ‘Turtle’ Gordon scored a brace, his second in a row, as MBU ensured they took nine points from Tivoli Gardens this season, following on from the same feat against FC Reno and Boys Town.

Tivoli failed to register even a goal against us as we also won the previous games by the same 2-0 margins and have now moved five points clear at the top of the point’s tables.

We are now on 54 points from 27 games played and fifth straight win, five more than defending champions Arnett Gardens who have played two games less while Tivoli Gardens who had their four games unbeaten run snapped, remained on 29 points in 10 place, seven points above the relegation zone.

Gordon also improved his goals tally to 13, his best ever, and is the leading active scorer in the league as only his former strike partner Dino Williams who had 14 before making the move to US NASL Club Indy XI, has more.

The win was not without some costs however as central defender John Barrett who had started to make his presence felt, was sent off in time added on at the end of the first half while Gordon was substituted late in the game, complaining a chest pains.

Despite dominating ball possession, Tivoli failed in front of our goal while Gordon was delay with two brilliant finishes.

His free kick in the 14^th minute was too fast for the Tivoli goalkeeper as the ball struck him in his chest but rebounded outside for a corner.

We took the lead in the 32^nd minute when Gordon out ran a slow defender on the right and with only the Tivoli goalkeeper Davin Watkins between him and the goal, lobbed the ball past the advancing custodian and into the net.

Tempers flared just before the end when John Barrett’s boot ended in Ricketts’ chest and he was sent off and Jacomeno was also cautioned for his remonstrations.

At the start of the second half, Montego Bay United brought on defender Kemar Drake for Ronaldo Rodney to bolster the back line and it paid off as despite consistent pressure from Tivoli, they failed to score.

The points were secured 10 minutes from the end when       Gordon curled a fiercely hit free kick wide to the left of Watkins and into the corner of the goal.