3 days ago
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Jamaica Premier League (JPL) leaders Mount Pleasant Football Academy created history yesterday after they defeated Tivoli Gardens 1-0 at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex to extend their winning streak to 11 matches, and in the process, broke Arnett Gardens’ nine-year record of 10 successive wins in the league.
Mount Pleasant coach Whitmore said he was delighted to achieve the record while adding that it took a collective effort from the club to accomplish the milestone.
“I must congratulate the technical staff, the players, and management because we could not have done it without a collective effort. That means we are going in the right direction in terms of where we want to go as a club.
“But it is not about me. It’s about what we can achieve as a club and as a team, and as a team, I mean the entire management and coaching staff. And we will keep working together to achieve what we want to achieve and move this club forward,” he said.
He said the aim is to keep the streak going, with the focus now shifting to the next game against Vere-Phoenix on Thursday.
“No one knows what will happen, but we look forward to winning the next game and we will go out and play for 90-plus minutes.
“We know it is going to get tougher and tougher because everybody is coming to play hard against Mount Pleasant. Game by game, we want to improve, and so we look forward to the next game,” he said.
Mount Pleasant controlled the first half of yesterday’s game and should have taken the lead when Nicholas Nelson beat the last defender but could not get past Diego Haughton in goal. Franco Celestine had a chance to capitalise on the rebound, but Haughton was again equal to his effort.
Kimoni Bailey also came close for the league leaders on the half hour, but he could not keep his effort on target.
Mount Pleasant took the lead after 39 minutes when Haughton mishandled a shot from outside the box and Suelae McCalla tucked home the rebound from close range.
Nelson threatened to add to Mount Pleasant’s lead just before the break, but he volleyed over, with his back to goal.
Tivoli were more purposeful after the interval although Mount Pleasant still controlled the proceedings, and they got a great chance to tie the score, but Lennox Russell could only put the ball back into the hands of Shaquan Davis after the goalkeeper misplaced a pass to him inside the six yards box.
However, Mount Pleasant were always dangerous, and Gadail Irving came close to a second when he rattled the bar from outside the area with 15 minutes to go.
Tivoli never gave up and continued to search for the equaliser, with Nathan Thomas firing wide while Russell’s header inside the near post was turned away for a corner by Davis.
Tivoli coach Jerome Waite, who set the 10-match winning streak with Arnett in 2015, said they never made use of their chances.
“We got our fair share of chances to score but did not convert, and they capitalised on an error from our goalkeeper,” he said.
Mount Pleasant moved to 49 points and stretched their lead atop the JPL standings to eight after second-place Montego Bay United drew 0-0 with Portmore. Tivoli stayed in seventh place on 26 points.
English (US) ·