Latest News
High-flying MoBay United seek maximum points against Chapelton
October 03, 2025
Montego Bay United Football Club (MBUFC) are keen on maintaining their leadership position in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL).
They have a pretty good chance of achieving their goal when they travel to face a Chapelton Maroons team going in the other direction.
They will meet at Tucker' Oval in Chapelton, Clarendon, in one of Sunday's full slate of fixtures, that involves the country's two biggest teams over the past three seasons, defending JPL champions Cavalier Soccer Club and Mount Pleasant, last season's losing finalists. Both were involved in Concacaf Caribbean Cup play this week and ended with contrasting results.
Cavalier will travel to Tivoli Gardens FC and Mount Pleasant will journey to Waterhouse for big fixtures.
In the context of a Portmore derby, Racing United FC and many-time winners Portmore United FC are also set for a mammoth derby, with the respective second and third-place teams intent on keeping pace with the leaders.
Consistency, highlighted by MoBay United's four wins in their past five games, has guaranteed 13 points and a two-point gap for the frontrunners from the western city. They want to continue improving.
"(We want) to continue to grow as a unit and give good performances that the fans can enjoy, and continue to be atop the table or as close as possible. That's our objective," noted Xavier Gilbert, who joined MoBay United as head coach this season.
They slammed newcomers Spanish Town Police United 4-0 in their last outing on Sunday, and a day prior to Chapelton Maroons getting a 3-0 hammering at Waterhouse.
Sizing up Sunday's game and areas that need work, Gilbert said: "Every game presents a different challenge, different opposition comes with different things, so we're taking it game by game. We ought to move the ball quicker, especially when teams go with a low block.
"I thought tonight (Sunday) we weren't moving the ball as quickly as we should have. That's something we've to work on."
Monday night's loss at Drewsland represents some back-pedalling by Chapelton, their second loss after opening the season like a train on fire with a hat-trick of wins. Now on 10 points and lying fourth, Chapelton Maroons, coached by the wily and experienced Donovan Duckie, need another form reversal.
Racing United will put their five-match unbeaten record on the line against Rodolph Austin's Portmore, which also have 11 points but from one more game.
Austin's outfit emerged lucky to finish goalless against Molynes United, which missed a penalty in their clash last weekend. Racing United also failed to score last time and either team will hope their attacking force gets it right. With 11 goals, Racing are only better by MoBay United's 14. Portmore, on the other hand, have been stingy defensively, conceding four goals in six.
Mount Pleasant (five points) have been very strong in Caribbean play, winning all their group matches. They have been lukewarm while playing sparingly locally, with only one win in three Premier League outings. However, they would have sharpened in regional play and possess quality to shake up fifth-place Waterhouse, who have either hit or miss with three wins and as many losses for nine points.
Cavalier, on seven points and seventh, have not adjusted easily after massive player transfers at the end of last season. Their Caribbean title defence sputtered to a midweek 2-1 defeat against Barbados' Weymouth Wales and must pull up their socks against a desperate and uncertain Tivoli Gardens, who have only won once in six games to be ninth with six points.
Tivoli Gardens FC's President, long-serving Dawn Heron, stepped away this week so it's not clear what kind of impact that may have on the team.
Newcomers Spanish Town Police Youth Club, especially, and Treasure Beach, along with Molynes United and Harbour View who all occupy the bottom four, are hungrier for points.
After Sunday's loss at MoBay, Spanish Town's head coach William Spencer said they will be trying "to win every game and stay up in this league."
That was their fifth loss and with only one point, they must show more against second-from-bottom Molynes United (four points) to defend their worth.
Seasoned campaigners Harbour View FC are going back to the drawing board after garnering one victory and five points.
"Our expectation is to win all the games that we have, but we're going to take them one at a time," the Stars of the East's assistant coach Sydney McFarlane said after a 1-1 tie against Treasure Beach.
He added: "We're going to look at all the games and assess all the things, how we approached them in terms of how we defend and how we attack, and see how we can get the results that are required."
Goalscoring, he remarked has been their Achilles heel after netting five in five. But they have been worse defending, conceding nine times, which will make eighth-place Dunbeholden, on seven points, feel they have every chance of winning.
