It was the perfect chance to kick-start their season.
Three of the bottom placed teams were in action last Saturday night at the National Stadium when the Digicel Premier League continued, and Paradise made sure their performance mattered.
The Dover-based boys took advantage of fellow strugglers Magnum Tonic Wine Dayrells Road, defeating them 3-0 and in the second encounter Pharmaceutical Plus Cosmos held on for a 3-1 win over Pinelands.
Paradise grabbed three needed points to escape the cellar of the standings.
Armando Lashley scored two goals in the ninth and 32nd minute, and impressive debutant Jason Worme capped off the welcomed victory with a sublime finish in the 54th minute.
To compound matters for Dayrells Road, they will be without their captain Ryan James for the next game after he was red-carded.
Cosmos finally scored, twice. After losing 2-0 in their previous two games, the Speightstown lads found some energy and purpose finally to stop Pinelands.
Pinelands had a fair share of possession and created most of the opportunities in the early stages, however it was Cosmos who got that important opening goal in the 28th minute.
Steve Watson made an intelligent run which beat the Pinelands’ offside trap, received a well weighed pass and lifted the ball over Romario Browne in goal.
Pinelands continued to press forward and it paid off in the 35th minute. Arantees Lawrence continued his fantastic start to the season driving into the penalty area, holding off his marker and placing an accurate low left foot shot into the bottom left hand corner.
Cosmos took the lead for the second time in the 45th minute in an instance of déjà vu. Zico Greaves and Watson switched flanks, a decision which proved to be the right one.
Greaves broke down the left and also broke the Pinelands’ feeble offside trap and as Browne raced off his line again, Greaves calmly slotted the ball under the goalkeeper’s body and just inside the right upright.
Pinelands dominated possession and opportunity in the second half but were left fruitless as their attacking players made a mess of relatively easy chances.
Cosmos’ ruthless finishing was matched also by the outstanding goalkeeping of Richard Corbin who made some outstanding saves to keep his team’s lead intact. Pinelands lost goalkeeper Browne due to a finger injury and leading goalscorer, Lawrence replaced him.
Pinelands gave into defeat in the 88th minute when a cross from the right by Maradonna Lavine was turned into the net by Pinelands’ defender Prince Cooke to complete the score. (ROG)
