Mt Pleasant hold slight edge despite costly penalty miss

Mount Pleasant Football Academy were held to a 1-1 draw by Club Sando of Trinidad and Tobago in the first leg of their Concacaf Caribbean Cup semi-final at the Hasely Crawford Stadium earlier tonight.

Warner Brown gave Mount Pleasant the lead with an 11th-minute strike, but Trayvonne Reid squandered a golden opportunity to put the Jamaican club 2-0 ahead when his penalty was saved six minutes later.

The visitors were made to pay for a number of missed chances when Daniel David equalised in the 56th minute.

Club Sando started brightly and created a good opening in the 10th minute, but the chance was directed wide of the near post from four yards.

However, Mount Pleasant struck immediately on the counterattack. Suelae McCalla delivered an inch-perfect ball over the top for Brown, who raced away from two defenders and calmly slotted home.

Brown had another opportunity in the 17th minute following good hold-up play from Reid, but blasted his effort over from 12 yards.

Mount Pleasant were awarded a penalty in the 35th minute after a defender handled the ball inside the area when Reid beat him on the dribble. However, goalkeeper Tershorne Ragoo denied the forward from the spot.

Jalmaro Calvin came close for the visitors in the 41st minute but headed over the bar. Three minutes later, Kimonie Bailey rattled the crossbar with a free kick as Mount Pleasant continued to dominate.

Although Club Sando kept the Mount Pleasant defence occupied, the home side were largely restricted to long-range efforts, most of which failed to trouble goalkeeper Shaquan Davis.

Mount Pleasant created more chances early in the second half, but Brown and Calvin both shot wide.

Club Sando found the equaliser in the 56th minute after Jahshaun Anglin lost possession near the edge of the penalty area. Jaron Pascall's shot struck the post, and David reacted quickest to the rebound, firing a low effort past Davis from inside the box.

The hosts nearly grabbed the lead five minutes from full-time, but Kyle Ming headed Marc Wharfe's goal-bound effort off the line with Davis out of position.

A minute later, Brown saw a dangerous effort deflected over the bar after Ragoo spilled possession inside the penalty area.

Club Sando's Shackiel Henry then came closest to snatching a winner, but his powerful strike crashed against the crossbar and bounced back into play.

The return leg will be played at the National Stadium next Tuesday.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com