Dunbeholden keep winning
Published:Thursday | February 20, 2025 | 12:15 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
DUNBEHOLDEN LEAPFROGGED Tivoli Gardens into eighth position in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) after scoring a 1-0 win over Molynes United at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex yesterday.
Dean Andre Thomas scored his fifth goal of the season to give the St Catherine club their fourth win in five matches, a run in which they have also stayed unbeaten.
Wth the result, Dunbeholden climbed to 29 points, one more than Tivoli, who now drop to ninth. However, coach Harold Thomas thought they should have won by a wider margin.
“Disappointed with the execution in the final third,” he told The Gleaner. “Defensively, we held our own but our execution offensively was poor.
“We should have scored a lot more goals. But such is it. I can’t say I am pleased because they are issues that I can only speak to the players about.”
Nevertheless, he was happy with their continued progress up the standings.
“That is something that we are thankful for, and we continue to work because we do not play this game because we just want to be satisfied. We want to continue to improve and see where it takes us,” he added.
Nickoy Christian had the first real chance of the match but his effort was turned around the post by goalkeeper Darren Donaie.
Peter McGregor was always in the thick of things in the first half for Molynes, and he forced two top-class saves from Damion Hyatt.
Dwight Merrick then had a double bite of the cherry to give Dunbeholden the lead, but twice failed to beat Donaie from five yards.
The attacker then lifted a great chance over the top after he was left unmarked on top of the box at the end of the half.
However, six minutes after the interval, Thomas fired Dunbeholden into the lead after he was left unmarked at the back post.
Moments later, Rojay Smith dragged another decent chance just wide of the far post.
McGregor responded for Molynes but placed a good opportunity wide in the 66th minute. Nicholas Lawrence then wasted a glorious chance to extend Dunbeholden’s lead, but, like Merrick, he dragged his shot wide.
McGregor continued to be Molynes’ main threat, and he stung the palms of Hyatt from close range before Marlon Pennicooke skied the rebound.
Lawrence missed another golden opportunity to put his team further ahead when he lobbed against the bar after a great ball from Ricardo Beckford.
In the closing minutes, Thomas blasted over from close range and Nackeel Wright then put a shot just wide. In added time, only a spectacular save from Donaie denied Thomas his and Dunbeholden’s second.
After five matches without a win, Molynes’ assistant coach Xavian Virgo said fatigue is taking a toll on their small squad.
“We came here to get something from this game. We came here to win the game. We worked on things in training but it never manifested throughout the game and we fell short,” he said.
“It is a bad run at the moment and we are working to improve that. We have been through a series of games over a short period of time. So some of the players are a bit tired and we have a squad that we are trying to get up to par.
“We have some young players that just came in and we are working with them to get them up to par, so we can give some other players a rest. But five games without the win is cause for concern. But we are working on it,” he said.
Molynes sit 10th in the table on 23 points.