Whitmore pleased after 10-man Mount Pleasant hold MBU

MOUNT PLEASANT'S head coach, Theodore Whitmore, has hailed his team's resilience and defensive strength following a 1-1 draw with Montego Bay United (MBU) in a Jamaica Premier League (JPL) football match at the Montego Bay Sports Complex on Monday night.

The league leaders played the entire second half with 10 men after Jahshaun Anglin was shown a second yellow card in first-half injury time.

Mount Pleasant remain leaders on 62 points and MBU are third in standings with 50 behind Arnett Garden (55) at the end of second round of the JPL.

"You can sum it up in many ways but I am very pleased with our team's performance. I am pleased with how we saw out the game. I think we showed character and didn't give our opponents many goal-scoring opportunities," Whitmore told STAR Sports.

Now focusing their attention on the final 13 games in the season, Whitmore said the aim is to build on their points tally and continue their form.

"I am very pleased with how we finished the second round. We look forward to the final round and continue to get the 'W' (wins).

The north coast derby, with two former teammates now coaching the two teams, was a very exciting encounter throughout. Mount Pleasant took the lead at the 31st minute courtesy of an own goal by MBU's Odane Nish. They were, however, set back when Anglin was given his marching orders just before half-time.

MBU came out in the second half fully energised and more organised with their ball movement and equalised within three minutes following a goal by Johan Weatherly in the 48th minute.

Both teams fought hard to get a winner but neither could make the breakthrough.

The coach of MBU, Paul 'Tegat' Davis, said the game was a good test against the league leaders.

"It was a good game and we were playing a quality team. The players' minds were in the game and they do not lack fitness. We just need to make a few more adjustments to get over the hump. In the second half we adjusted, played more organised and we were able to score. I think we should have gotten the three points but nevertheless we played a quality team in Mount Pleasant," Davis said.