Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer

BIG-KICKING central mid-fielder Ricardo Cousins yesterday fired Portmore United into the first-round final of the Cash Plus Premier League when he blasted in a torrid near-post shot in the 83rd minute for a 2-1 win over Seba United at Ferdie Neita Park.

Starting the day on 18 points and needing a win to seal their spot in the final over Seba on 16, and defending champions Harbour View on 15, Portmore moved to 21 points, advancing with an away game in hand this Sunday against Reno.

Wide-open race

Portmore will have to wait until Sunday to know their opponents in the December 16 final as second-place Seba's loss and Harbour View's 2-1 defeat at Boys' Town threw the race for the remaining spot wide open.

Seba must beat promoted Sporting Central in Clarendon on Sunday to join Portmore as they are being tracked by a trio of teams on 15 points, St. Georges, Harbour View and Tivoli Gardens.

Portmore coach Linval Dixon said he was happy with the win as it propelled his team into its first final since the Premiership went to a straight-league format last season, abandoning the traditional semi-final knockout route.

However, after watching Eric Vernon put his team ahead in the fifth minute, firing a half-volley across Seba's goalie from just inside the right angle of the penalty box, Dixon had anxious moments in the second half when the visitors equalised and laid siege to the Portmore penalty box.

A 66th-minute double change by Seba coach Theodore Whitmore saw midfielder Wilfred Smith on for Stephen Irving and Delroy Ellis replacing striker Derrick Peart.

The men from Montego Bay sprang to life, pushing forward in numbers, outnumbering Portmore in their box and got the equaliser in the 73rd minute when left-winger Kemar James fired in a rebound from close range after two shots were blocked by a confused defence.

Missed the lead

Seba narrowly missed taking the lead in the 76th minute when midfielder Oliver Trail fired a rocket of a shot from 32 yards, to which goalie Shawn Sawyers did a 'leave alone' but was shocked out of his wits to hear the ball cannon off his right upright.

With their midfield lacking stability, Portmore substituted Mario Swaby with Sean Giveans, who caught Seba's defence napping with a through pass to Cousins on the right flank.

Unmarked, the yellow-booted midfielder raced into the box and appeared to over-dribble as he bore down at an angle on the goal. However, his walloping shot was too hot for Lynch, who got a hand to the ball but had no chance of keeping it out of his net.

Whitmore was disappointed with the result, saying it put them in a tough spot against Sporting Central.

"We gave a good performance in the second half but things have not been going our way for the last two games," he said, referring to last Sunday's 2-0 home loss against Reno.

Portmore 2

Eric Vernon 5th, Ricardo Cousins 83rd

Seba 1

Kemar James 73rd