Fabian Taylor’s early strike after four minutes set the pace for his strike partner Luton Shelton to increase the first half lead to 2-0 when he ran onto yet another Jermaine Hue excellently weighted through pass to steer his left-footer wide of the advancing Edsel Scott in the Tivoli goal. With 27 minutes on the clock and counting the West Kingston unit looked a troubled bunch but was let of the hook when Fabian Taylor one-on-one was parried wide by Scott, then a similar play repeated itself with Shelton shooting wide.
Slowly each attacking move by Tivoli came closer and closer as Roland Deans’ header beat Leon Gordon to hit the upright and then the cool William Richards dribbled nonchalantly out of danger to the annoyance of the Tangerine and Black massive that had assembled.
Fabian Davis’s freekick was expertly handled by Gordon as he brought leadership to his team assisted by good runs down the left from Christopher Jackson and genuine hardwork mixed with skill from Marvin Morgan in midfield but the Harbour View defensive unit stood firm.
The second half arrived after the intermission bubbled with the performance of the now popular ‘Harbour View Cheerleaders’ as they danced and pranced to disco and reggae music. The Harbour View Primary School Grade 3 gave a most heart-warming rendition to celebrate Heroes Week under the guidance of their teacher. The major upheaval was yet to come as Christopher Nicholas made his grand entrance onto the field around the hour mark and he soon outfoxed the clever defence to score from an acute angle in the 73rd minute. As Hue was stretchered off injured, Daniel Shaw was relieved of his duties after suffering from the flu all week and Richards substituted for Sean Fraser all meant the senior midfielders were replaced by less experienced players when Tivoli was on the ascendency.
Harbour View repeated their mistakes in the first half when Taylor, then Hue and then substitute Fraser all beat the defensive offside trap but failed to beat the onrushing Scott.
Tivoli attacked and Harbour View held firm until FIFA Referee signalled the end of the game with Harbour View extending their lead to 19 points 4 more points than second placed Waterhouse who drew 1-1 with defending champions Portmore United (formerly
Hazard United) fourth on 13 points one behind Village United with 14 points in third spot.
Left: Harbour View Primary students Grade 3
Right: HVFC Cheerleaders
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YOUNG GUNS COME UP FIRING EARLY!
Lovel Palmer, Christopher Harvey,Conrad Hunt, Luton Shelton and Sean Fraser.
Harbour View’s young players are having a good run initially at the start of the league while coordinating with the more established stalwarts lead by Captain Damion Stewart, Leeroy Grey, Clifton Waugh, William Richards, Robert Scarlett, Jermaine Hue, Daniel Shaw and Fabian Taylor.
With the likes of Nathan Wyatt, Kemar Petrekin, Michly Waul, Don Reece Edwards and Akeem Priestly also below the age of 20 years, willing and able lookout for the next generation of all these ten young players growing up in the big league.
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10-MAN HARBOUR VIEW SPIRITS RISE TO THE CHALLENGE, TO OVERRUN VILLAGE BY 2-0 IN RAINY CONDITIONS IN TRELAWNY
The old spirit of the team came flowing back under adverse conditions at the Trelawny based Elleston Wakeland Centre in the top-of-the-table clash against Village United who had pledged to register their first home victory for the season.
In joint second position on 11 points, at the start of the seventh set of games in Round One the red hot ‘Village’ aggregation took the challenge to ‘The View’ in the early stages bent on scoring the first goal following their impressive result against Arnett Gardens in the previous game when they waltzed away 2-0 winners.
A different day a different way.
18 year old American forward Warren Ukah who was on pre-season trial with Harbour View trusted forward down the right flank and squared to leading marksman Teofore Bennett but his strike under pressure flew high over the crossbar. Bennett popped up again this time on the right to elude goalkeeper Leeroy Grey and shot goalwards for the recovering Captain Damion Stewart to block on the goal-line and clear upfield to safety.
While the alert looking Harbour View defence weathered the storm in midfield readjusted their shape to battle for the supremacy in possession and finally got it with precision passing that slowed the pace and inflicted the punishment of ball chasing around the largest pitch area in the league. The possession converted into attack and after a 17 pass combination Fabian Taylor was the last man standing free 14 yards to the right of the box but his powerhouse drive sailed wide of the target, much to the relief of the home crowd. Luton Shelton broke away twice on the flanks but he never ‘pulled the trigger’ in so releasing the pressure that had steadily built after the more defensive stance in the first fifteen minutes.
Then in 37th minute a bad distribution low down the centre of the field from goalkeeper Grey lead to a quick shunt to Ukah who broke freely towards the penalty area and was met full force by the body slam of 6 feet 3 inches 200 pounds of speeding goalkeeper Grey. A sudden stop, an on the spot FIFA referee, meant an immediate dismissal for the last man in defence, Grey, must go to have an early shower hence Daniel Shaw is sacrificed for goalkeeper Leon Gordon to face an immediate freekick just outside the area. The pressure is released as National Invitee Shawn Crawford fires high and wide.
Harbour View reassumes the midfield dominance through passing by bringing Luton Shelton back and right side while leaving Fabian Taylor as the lonely forward.
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HALFTIME HARBOUR VIEW 0 – VILLAGE 0
A break of time, taught and objectives meant that new strategies could be employed but the real game would be played around the newest game element that of the pouring rain that suddenly descended on the proceedings. The more aware Harbour View players started the passing game once more across the vast terrain that seemed to hypnotise the watchful ‘Villagers’ who followed the moving ball willingly until the decisive final pass was executed around the penalty area when they tackled. One such indiscretion caused Jermaine Hue to find the towering Damion Stewart at the far left-side of the goal to head back to the right and score his first goal of the season in minute 48 and raced away in ecstacy to be chased by his teammates. Harbour View 1 Village United 0.
The heavens opened and down came the rain in torrents as Village ploughed forward uncertain of exactly how to penetrate the heavily manned Harbour View half now resembling a fortress with all hands on deck locked, ready and willing to battle for dear life reinforced with a strong mind, heart and the will to succeed. With the senior players Stewart, Gordon and Waugh standing their ground in defence in coordination with the zealous Christopher Harvey, William Richards stood firm in guiding young Turks Lovell Palmer and Luton Shelton to man mark, while Jermaine Hue marshalled possession in attacking midfield in concert with the brilliance of Robert Scarlett who terrorised the entire left flank surging forward and backward at top speed. Fabian Taylor waited patiently forward as he kept ball possession to invite other players to join him in forward positions or drawing fouls from the frustrated defenders until Luton Shelton’s forward run down the right produced a telling pass to make him turn his marking centre half and slide it wide of the diving goalkeeper to put the game beyond the reach of the opponents in minute 78.
The rain stopped soon after but the spirit of the team soared to new heights as they seemed to see the light at the end of the Round Final approaching (with 4 games left) if they can keep the form, spirit and renewed focus.
Harbour View leads the standings on 16 points over Waterhouse on 14 points, Portmore United (Formerly Hazard United) and Tivoli on 12.
HARBOUR VIEW TRAVELS TO FROM IN WESTMORELAND TO PLAY RENO WHO HAD DEFEATED ARNETT GARDENS AT HOME THIS AFTERNOON BY 2-1. THE UNDER 21 GAMES RESUME AT 3:30PM.