Nodley Wright, Gleaner Writer

Where the forwards failed, defender Rosario Harriott succeeded.

The Portmore United defender, after watching in frustration for the full 90 minutes of regulation play and in excess of five minutes added at the end of full time, stepped up to nod home Portmore's winner in the Red Stripe Premier League clash against Tivoli Gardens at Edward Seaga Sports Complex in Monday's night game.

The win was what the defending champions truly deserved, as they dominated the game from the opening whistle and pinned the home team inside their own half.

While Portmore United dominated play through the swiftness of brain and feet of Alanzo Adlam, the physical presence of Mouracio Gordon upfront and the steady direction of Damian Williams, they were unable to make their dominance count.

Adlam missed the clearest opportunity in the first half. Gordon and Andrew Christie were similarly wasteful, as Dane Kelly and Navion Boyd for Tivoli Gardens were starved of service.

Tivoli Gardens looked second best all game, and not even the introduction of second-half substitutes Shawn McKoy, Lennox Creary and Davion Garrison brought any lift to their play. Only captain Keithy Simpson, when he retreated from midfield into his customary central defensive role, held his head up.

"Overall, the quality of the game was not all that much. It was a game that could have gone either way, but we were too flat. We came out flat," was how Tivoli Gardens' disappointed assistant coach, Alvin Shaw, summed up the game.

"I am not sure why we were so flat, but I spoke about it at half-time, but there was not much change. The substitutions we made were to lift our game, but that did not happen," he added.

predictably thrilled

Winning coach André Waugh was predictably thrilled.

"It is a tremendous feeling and a fitting end to a good performance. We had a number of excellent performances without the results to show.

"We are well on the way and this victory will do well to lift our confidence," Waugh said with a broadening smile.

With the win, Portmore United, who increased their tally to 10 points, the same as Tivoli Gardens, swapped places with them and moved up to sixth position by way of a better goal difference.

Standings

Standings in the Red Stripe Premier League

(Tabulated under Teams, P-Play, W-Win, D-Draw, L-Lose, GF-Goals For, GA-Goals Against, GD - Goal Difference, Pts-Points)