By Paul-Andre Walker, Staff Reporter
Portmore United's Roen Nelson (left) leans into Invaders' Garfield Brown as they challenge for a ball in the air during their Wray and Nephew National Premier League game at Prison Oval yesterday. Nelson scored all of the goals in Portmore's 3-0 victory. - Ricardo Makyn / Staff Photographer
ROEN NELSON celebrated his birthday a month early by showing his wish to be in the semi-finals of the Wray and Nephew National Premier League down the throats of lowly Invaders with a hat-trick yesterday.
The treble led Portmore United to a 3-0 win over the relegation troubled team at the Spanish Town Prison Oval.
Nelson's strikes came in the 19th, 34th and 46th minutes and put the defending champions firmly in second place, three points ahead of Harbour View.
The bright sunshine at the oval must have soaked too deeply into the skins of Invaders' players because they were under the misconception that they could compete with Portmore while simultaneously squandering chance after chance. Invaders' top goalscorer, Thomas Grant, was the major culprit as he had at least three clear opportunities that he should have capitalised upon go a begging.
COMPETITIVE
Even with all that said and done, Invaders could have still remained competitive had they remembered to mark when Portmore attacked.
"For the first half of the game we just weren't tracking. We played a better game in the second half and this wasn't a true reflection of what this team can do," said Invaders coach Cassman Williams.
To be fair to Invaders, while they missed many chances Portmore could have easily scored three or four more goals had they been alert and they too must hold some blame for the relatively poor football.
Portmore did look brilliant in patches though and Nelson seemed in classic goalscoring touch. The league record goalscorer, while being accused of having a lean season in front of goal, has 15 goals to his credit.
"I like the way the team is looking coming up to the semis," said Portmore United's coach Lenworth Hyde.
All three goals from Nelson came with the striker only needing one touch to create damaging results for Invaders.
The first was a beautiful build-up between himself and Carlington Smith that left all and sundry in their wake with Nelson only having to stab the ball past a hapless custodian.
The second was just as good in the build-up but the finish was reminiscent of the Nelson of last season. He found himself unmarked in the box with a cross that had gone a little behind him. His volley from a horizontal position left breathless witnesses around the park.
The third was probably the most difficult and was the goal that showed that the striker is quickly approaching the record-breaking form of last season. A long ball from out of defence found Nelson unmarked and allowing it to come down over his head, he hit a one-time volley that surprised national Under-23 custodian Richard McCallum and found the back of the net.
