Christopher Nicholas acknowledges the Portmore United bench after scoring a 19th-minute penalty against lowly placed August Town during a Digicel Premier League match at Ferdie Neita Park, in Braeton, Portmore, St Catherine, on Sunday. Portmore United won 1-0. - Anthony Minott/Freelance Photographer

Christopher Nicholas is now having his second season at Portmore United, and in his first start of the new campaign, he scored and gave Portmore three valuable points to push them to 17 points from 12 games in the Digicel Premier League on Sunday at Ferdie Neita Park.

August Town, playing with 10 men from the 38th minute, are on eight points after losing their eighth game of the season.

Nicholas, a former Tivoli Gardens striker, said his main goal now is to work on his fitness and find his way back into the national set-up.

"My main goal this season is to get back my fitness and get back into the national team. I'm pleased with my performance and I hope that tonight's (Sunday's) win will lift the team.

"We needed this win and I'm glad we got these three points," Nicholas said. Nicholas, 27, spent most of last season, playing for Long Island Rough Riders in New York, and he is armed with overseas experience that Portmore will definitely gain from, and should play a big role in future matches.

The all-important goal was scored by Nicholas in the 19th minute from the penalty spot after Ajuran Brown brought down Roen Nelson inside the area.

Red card

With seven minutes remaining in the half, August Town went down to 10 men as Jermaine Simpson was shown a red card by referee Valden Ledgister for an off-the-ball incident.The second half belonged mainly to Portmore who attacked the August Town goal at will, but they were let down by faulty finishing. However, Portmore's late second-half substitute, Kamar Bennett, was unlucky not to find the back of the net as he unleashed a powerhouse that hit the upright and rebounded into play.

Portmore's coach, Linval Dixon, was happy for the three points, and hailed Nicholas' contribution to the win.

"Nicholas played well and he scored a penalty, and that's a positive for us," he said. "We are going to Arnett Gardens next and they are playing well. Teams are now finding their form, but we hope for a positive result there."

August Town's coach, Calvert Fitzgerald, praised his team for showing some fight. "Normally, we will have folded after going down to 10 men, but today they fought to the end, and they showed some improvement in that area."

Also on Sunday, Waterhouse got their second-round campaign off to winning start through a lone strike by substitute Roberto Fletcher, whose 78th-minute goal was enough to see off a determined Rivoli United at the Waterhouse Mini Stadium.

In a game that took almost 80 minutes to provide any real excitement, the speedy Fletcher outhustled his marker in the penalty box before coolly dispatching his shot beyond goalkeeper Leon Goffe from just outside the six-yard area, moments after coming on to the field.