Village United stun Portmore

• But Sunshine City team still qualify for end-of-round final

Adrian Frater, News Editor

WESTERN BUREAU:

Cellar dwellers Village United tasted victory for the first time in the 2011-12 Red Stripe Premier League yesterday afternoon, when they surprised Portmore United 2-0 at the Trelawny Stadium.

The Trelawny team, which quadrupled their points tally - moving up from one to four - owed their success to brilliant second-half goals by Dino Williams and Oliver Trail, who were seeing action for only the second time this season

"What went right for us today was the fact that we took the chances we created," said Village United's coach, Kendall Mercury.

"We have been playing well but not scoring goals, but today we got two beautiful goals and have finally won a game," Mercury pointed out.

Despite losing Portmore United, which started the game chasing a place in the competition's first end-of-round final, did not suffer adversely as although finishing the game empty-handed, the team from the Sunshine City still made it to the final, where they will face defending league champions Tivoli Gardens, which drew goalless at Reno.

"Village United played with a lot of purpose and we did not," said Portmore United's coach, Calvin Lewis. "Our aim is that we will still get through to the mid-season final."

After an enterprising start, Village United should have taken the lead in the seventh minute when Trail got away inside the goal area, but somehow he missed the target with the goalkeeper at his mercy.

Portmore United countered in the 12th minute and came very close to grabbing the lead. Adoah Nickles took a superb cross from Eric Vernan, but cleared the crossbar with his powerful shot.

Midway the half, Portmore had long periods in control, but the Village defence stood up with authority, keeping most of the action away from the goalkeeper. They should have scored in the 30th minute, but after dribbling around the goalkeeper, Nickles had his shot blocked by a defender.

On the stroke of half-time, Village came close when Williams' close-range header was spectacularly turned over the crossbar by the Portmore United custodian, ensuring that the half ended 0-0.

Village started the second half in all-out attack and were rewarded in the 50th minute. Williams pounced on a cross before the goal and his venomous shot knocked away the hands of the goalkeeper and lodged into the goal, making the score 1-0.

With Village in control and peppering the Portmore United defence, they doubled their lead in the 75th minute. Orlando McBayne picked out Trail before the goal with a super pass and his fierce drive on the run gave the goalkeeper no chance, making the score 2-0.

Village continued to call the tune going into the latter stages of the game, but they failed to add to their tally despite Portmore United looking increasingly vulnerable.