Tajay Grant scores double as Racing United beat Arnett Gardens

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Tajay Grant scored a brace to lead Racing United to a 3-1 win over Arnett Gardens in the second game of a Jamaica Premier League doubleheader at Stadium East on Monday as the first week of the season came to an end.

Grant, who scored 16 goals last season, picked up where he left off to get the Racing United team off to a fast start.

Grant opened the scoring in the 14th minute, but Arnett Gardens responded five minutes later when Jamone Shepherd equalised with a shot from outside the 18 yards box that crept just inside the left upright.

Nickyle Ellis restored Racing United’s lead in the 29th minute, and Grant then made it 3-1 in the 64th minute.

Rushike Kelson, who was a second-half substitute, cut the lead to one goal when he scored in the 79th minute.

In the first game of the day, Molynes United came from two goals down to beat Treasure Beach FC 3-2.

The winners joined newcomers Tru-Juice FC, Montego Bay United, Cavalier FC and Tivoli Gardens as winners in the first week.

In the opening game, Adrian Johnson and Jhanni Flemmings scored within a minute of each other to stake Treasure Beach to a 2-0 lead.

Johnson finished off a good three-man move, firing the ball into the goal in the 42nd minute and a minute later Flemmings fired a laser-guided bullet past goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel.

Tyrique Wilson halved the deficit just before the half-time break when he scored for Molynes United.

Molynes United dominated the second half but had to wait until the final five minutes to reap the reward when two substitutes turned the game around.

Oquassa Chong pulled Molynes level in the 87th minute and Shevon Miller gave them the lead a minute later when he headed the ball past the Treasure Beach goalkeeper.

— Paul A Reid