CAPTAIN Ricardo Gardner said it all with his celebrations after netting Jamaica's fifth goal against St Vincent and the Grenadines at the National Stadium last night - the 5-1 friendly international win was as easy as taking candy from a baby.

Gardner ran in at the back post in the 88th minute to tap home a ball played across goal by substitute Deon Burton to give René Simoes his first international win in three games since taking charge of the Reggae Boyz.

The Bolton defender's goal was icing on the cake after Demar Phillips opened the scoring in the 17th, followed by two goals from Marlon King, the first a 26th-minute penalty before producing a striker's half-volley in the 42nd.

Burton chested in a goalmouth chance in the 74th before Gardner tapped in easily and ran towards the bench two minutes from the final whistle, rocking an imaginative baby to sleep as the Reggae Boyz avenged a 2-1 loss the Vincentians inflicted on them two years ago at The Office.

A victory for Jamaica was never in doubt after the lively Phillips, pushed into midfield by Simoes, opened the scoring from the top of the box, dribbling to make space before firing a low shot past Melvin Andrews.

King afterwards netted a double, his first being a pinpoint penalty after Gardner was brought down. His second strike was a cool one, an almost effortless half-volley off a cross from the right to send the Boyz in 3-0 up at the break.

Reggae Boy Marlon King (right) going past Cornealius Huggins of St Vincent and the Grenadines during last night's friendly match at the National Stadium. King scored twice as Jamaica whipped the visitors 5-1. - Ian Allen

King should have netted a first-half hat-trick but unbelievably missed from six yards on the stroke of half-time, stretching for a ball played back inside from the touchline by Ricardo Fuller.

Jamaica came out flat for the second half while St Vincent began playing with more cohesion and it was hardly any surprise when they got their lone goal of the match in the 57th.

Their classiest player on the pitch, Kendal Velox, lobbed a pass into Jamaica's area from the right flank for his unmarked strike partner, Marlon James, to head past Donovan Ricketts.

Realising his team had gone flat, Simoes went for his star-studded bench and pulled the static Rudolph Austin and summoned creative playmaker Jamal Campbell-Ryce, who came on in the 65th minute to run riot in midfield with his mazy dribbling.

Simoes also called off Fuller, who again failed to spark, replacing him in the 70th minute with Luton Shelton.