Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

Despite creating several good goalscoring opportunities at opposite ends, Seba and Portmore had to settle for a point each in yesterday's action-packed Cash Plus NPL game at Jarrett Park in Montego Bay.

By virtue of the result, the Portmore United team moved up from 34 to 35 points, which keeps them in second place in the 12-team standing behind leaders Tivoli Gardens. Seba remain in mid-table on 23 points.

"It was a tense game in which both teams played well," said Portmore's coach Linval Dixon.

"We would have been a lot happier had we got all three points but a point on the road is an acceptable result."

In the opening exchanges, Portmore looked the sharper of the two and should have taken the lead in the 15th minute when Rudolph Austin's scorching grounder crashed into the goalkeeper and fell inches away from Roen Nelson.

Seba came to life in the 19th minute when Norman Foster got behind the Portmore defence but his shot from a difficult angle sailed inches over the crossbar much to the relief of goalkeeper Dwayne Kerr.

Towards the end of the half, Portmore wasted the easiest of chances in the 35th minute. Austin floated a superb pass to the unmarked Nelson but he failed to get his close- range header on target.

The second half started with Seba getting back-to-back chances in the 50th and 52nd minutes. First, Edward Campbell broke free and fired straight at the goalkeeper and then Wilfred Smith followed, nodding wide from inside the goal area.

Midway the half, the Portmore team was reduced to 10 men when Austin was red-carded after he was cautioned for the second time. However, despite their numerical disadvantage, the Portmore remained quite potent as they kept running at the Seba defence.