Mount Pleasant Football Academy continued their march toward a dominant regular season finish in the Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League, as they produced another polished performance in a 2-0 win over Chapelton Maroons at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Monday.

The St Ann-based outfit, already looking like title favourites, confirmed a semi-final berth as goals from Angelo Exilus (61st minute) and Raheem Edwards (74th) ensured their 25th win of the campaign. The result lifted Mount Pleasant to 81 points, as they remain nine points ahead of their closest pursuer, Montego Bay United, on 72 points, while Chapelton Maroons remain 10th on 33 points.

After a first half in which Mount Pleasant bossed possession but could not find the breakthrough, it was only a matter of time before their patient build-up play bore fruit.

The breakthrough came a minute past the hour mark when Edwards, who has been a livewire all season, drilled a low cross into the area. Arriving unmarked at the back post, young Haitian stalwart Exilus tapped home with composure to notch his first goal of the season.

Mount Pleasant continued to press, and just four minutes later, they nearly doubled the lead. A teasing delivery from Gadail Irving found Edwards in space, but the forward’s shot from close range flew high over the crossbar.

Chapelton’s best chance to respond came in the 71st minute, when Javel Ellis managed to escape his marker. But his right-footed attempt, though well-struck, sailed over the crossbar.

It was Edwards who ultimately sealed the deal, as he capped off a strong outing with his 11th goal of the season. The move began with a darting run down the left flank by Devonte Campbell, who squared a low ball across the face of goal. Edwards, as clinical as ever, met it with a firm finish inside the six-yard box.

Despite spirited moments from Chapelton Maroons, they were unable to seriously trouble the Mount Pleasant defence, which remained organized and composed throughout.

Mount Pleasant’s head coach, Theodore ‘Tappa’ Whitmore, though pleased with the discipline and control his side showed, pointed out that more improvement is needed, especially with the business end of the season approaching.

“We controlled the game for the most part; we showed a lot of patience, especially in the first half, even though we didn’t create as much chances. But the second half was better. I think the execution was on par, and I am very pleased with the overall performance of the team. This is something we have been doing all season; we just want to be consistent, so game by game we want to see the improvement,” Whitmore said.

Meanwhile, Chapelton’s assistant coach Dwight White felt a lapse in concentration proved costly for his team.

“It was just a lapse in concentration and the fact that we turned over possession in our defensive third. When you do that against a Mount Pleasant team, this will always be the end result. We tried, but it wasn’t good enough, and a little extra push might have given us a better result,” he stated.