Braxton Hyre, coach of St Georges Sports Club, praised his team's gallant effort as they hung Sporting Central Academy at Lynch Park on Sunday, winning their Digicel Premier League match 2-0 to move top ot the league on 14 points.

"This team is growing in confidence," said Hyre, whose team leapt above Tivoli Gardens, the defending champions who suffered their first loss this season, a 0-2 margin to Boys' Town at Tivoli.

Hyre added: "The plan was to use up the flanks and to make the crosses on the edge of the 18-yard box. Sporting has the technical players who are quick to the ball. At half-time I instructed the guys not to give them any space along the flanks and it paid off."

Sole leaders

This is St Georges' third season in the top tier and first stint as sole leaders.

Both goals were scored in the second half, from the boots of Dwayne Holmes, courtesy of a penalty in the 53rd minute and striker Damion Harwood, who struck from close range in the 60th minute.

Georges did the early attacking through the skilful Leon Irving, Harwood, Ushaine Dobson and Girvon Brown.

Midway into the first half, Sporting started to counter-attack through Jevaughn Watson, Kadian Wynter, François Swaby and Linval Lewis. However, the St Georges defence, led by national defender Jermaine Taylor and Keion Clunis, kept them at bay.

Stepping up the pace

The second half saw Georges stepping up the pace. They came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock in the 48th minute, when Harwood received a pass from Richardo Watson and fired a powerful right-footer. But goalkeeper Jacomeno Barrett dived full stretch to his right and denied the striker.

Georges finally broke the deadlock when Harwood was brought down inside the box and Holmes fired a powerful kick past Barrett for a 1-0 lead.

Seven minutes later, Harwood made it 2-0 by scoring from the edge of the six-yard box, after receiving a curling pass from Clunis.

Donovan Duckie, coach of Sporting which lie fourth on nine points, said the loss of two key players from their backline, as well as injury to their goalie, affected their performance.

"We were also hampered by injury to our goalkeeper early in the game," he said. "I think Georges played well and that is always expected of them, especially at home. This is our first loss and we will bounce back."