Three injuries in the first 30 minutes, plus a opportunist goal from Nigerian centre forward Uchucheckwu Chinyere were more than enough to deny the determined Jamaica National Building Society Federation Cup Champions a fourth consecutive appearance in the finals yesterday.
It all went wrong when firstly Waterhouse forward Shane Edwards rammed into goalkeeper Leon Gordon side early on and after two attempts to continue he departed after the goal was scored, clearly immobilised. Next ace midfielder Daniel Shaw wilted in agony after stretching for a ball his groin injury was aggrevated, so too newly called up national midfielder Jermaine Hue when taking a free-kick.
All three substitutions were hurriedly made and the team tried in vain to equalise before the break while settling down, that also did not work. The second half saw the true champions mettle come to the fore as every inch of the ground was exploited to get on even terms. Jomo Gordon headed wide, so too captain Damion Stewart and Craig Stewart’s lounge also went the wrong side of the post. Nicholas McCreath’s clear shot from 16 yards never materialised as he slipped upon contact and Sean Fraser’s best effort went wide of the upright with goalkeeper Loxely Reid beaten.
The fourth time repeat winner was not to be as the boys fought galantly but with no reward.
Congratulations to Waterhouse and Village United who made it to their first national final by defeating lower league contestants Santos F.C. who showed a lot of class by 1-0.
Best of luck to both finalists as a new champion will be crowned for the first time since 1999.
HARBOUR VIEW EDGES PAST RENO BY 1-0.
A Jermaine Hue direct corner kick in minute 80 was just enough to give “The Stars of the East” a well needed three points from a hard earned victory at Frome, Westmoreland.
On a bumpy field, high winds and poor officiating, the Harbour View players battled all afternoon to eek out a victory after coming under harsh tackles, kicks and fouls that went unnoticed by the referee. However in the second half after missed chances by McCreath,
Gordon and Hue the team finally relaxed into a game which concentrated on footbal and not the many distractions about. Firstly McCreath beat goalkeeper Aaron Lawrence who advanced but his shot rolled agonisingly wide of the post. Then Jomo Gordon missed the close in rebound and his shot cleared from the line.
But the game ended in favour of the more enterprising team when a right-sided corner was seemingly blown in past three defenders and the goalkeeper at the near post , to the dismay of the Reno fans as Jermaine Hue’s magic seemed to have worked.
Harbour View now remains joint second with Portmore United on 53 points behind leaders Tivoli on 61.
HARBOUR VIEW TRIUMPH OVER TIVOLI BY 3-1 TO MARCH INTO FEDERATION CUP SEMIFINALS AGAINST SANTOS.
Nicholas McCreath’s double strike elevates defending Champions, And brings Tivoli’s 18 game winning streak to a halt.
Under an overcast sky the gold and blue uniform of the “Stars of the East” shone brightly as a stunning first half performance totally destroyed the impressive recent track record of League leaders Tivoli Gardens yesterday afternoon at the Compound to rapturous applause from the home crowd accentuated by the attractive cheerleaders from the grandstand.
It started briskly from the third minute when Jermaine Hue’s pass found Jomo Gordon in a forward position, he raced by his marker on the left before squaring to the instep of number thirteen, Nicholas “Helmet” McCreath who drove home to the far corner of the goal in minute thirteen.
As Tivoli fought back minute 34 would prove devastating for them as Craig Stewart drove ferociously against the base of the upright from 16 yards out leaving everyone in a daze, until Daniel Shaw reacted quickest to slam the rebound home.
Three minutes later Jomo Gordon was at it again, this time releasing McCreath from the half-line to out-sprint the defence before beating the goalkeeper Edsel Scott to his right.
3-0 at the break was too much to ask and even though Tivoli replied with a Lenworth Hyde Jr goal after 71 minutes, it was too little too late as the winning streak was snapped on the 30th anniversary celebrations platform.
Harbour View advances to the semifinals of the islandwide knockout competition at Arnett Gardens complex next Sunday March 28th at 6:00 pm against Waterhouse. This follows semifinal one with Village United versus Santos F.C. at 4:00pm.
A tribute to a striker, FABIAN TAYLOR.
By Nicholas McCreath
When magnificent God-given talent is merged with strong discipline and an attitude of determination, the end result is a top class athlete in the form of Fabian Taylor. In the short time that Fabian has graced the NPL with his abilities, he has managed to create a persona as the most feared striker in the league. His amazing scoring touch is yet to be consistently deterred by any team, as he walks away from this his final season as the leading scorer and the most accomplished player for the season thus far. If asked what makes Taylor different from any other forward in the country, my unconscious response would be that he combines prolific scoring with a touch of finesse. He is a cross between an Alan Shearer and a David Bergkamp, making the game look easier than it really is. Watching him play, one may be fooled into thinking that being in the right place at the right time and finishing off a play in silky-smooth fashion is merely a walk in the park. This is the essence of a great striker and Fabian has fully embodied this character sketch.
It is easy to look at people’s successes and to think that it was an easy road to the heights that they have attained. However, the sweat of endurance, the sorrow of disappointment and, most importantly, the strength to go on when even your best efforts don’t seem to do the trick, this is what has elevated Fabian to be a cut above the rest. He is currently the only local forward who has remained in the National team regardless of the number of professionals that make their entrance into the squad. Undaunted by playing only insignificant minutes in big games on occasion, Fabian played these minutes as if they were all that mattered an performed at the same level as anyone else out there. Not withstanding he has been a success on the international scene, as well as the local scene and it is very obvious that he has earned the respect and trust of Technical Director Carl Brown as well as the critical Jamaican fans nationwide.
Fabian has distinguished himself in big moments as a Michael Jordan type clutch player, scoring up to 3 goals at a time in the most important of games. To turn back the hands of time, it was a Fabian Taylor double strike that made the difference in the only game in which HVFC defeated arch rivals Arnett Gardens 3-1 to advance to the Federation cup Final and become the eventual winners of the cup last season. And if that seemed like merely a stroke of luck, this year, he repeated the feat in more splendid fashion by single-handedly masterminding the destruction of Arnett for a 3-2 come-from-behind win for HVFC. He scored all three goals.
What is most amazing about Fabian is not his knack for goal-scoring nor his excellent touch on the ball, but his passion for the game and his competitive attitude. Put simply, he just hates losing. Fabian has a comedic personality and gets along well with most people. He is seemingly always joking around, taking nothing too seriously. However, the moment he steps onto the field of play it is like he becomes a different person. His focus is unbreakable and the comedian becomes the charismatic leader, shouting instructions and leading by example.
Many people are of the opinion that football contracts are a one in a million for the athletes who play. However, I still insist that for some people, like Ricardo Gardener, Ricardo Fuller, Andy Williams, Damani Ralph and Fabian Taylor, the odds are not that far-fetched. In fact, the truth is that, when God chooses to bless you with much, some accomplishments are mere only a matter of time, i.e. an eventuality. Fabian has proven to everyone that he knows what it takes to make it to the next level and that he is poised to truly realize his amazing potential. I only hope that myself, along with my teammates and all others who aspire to reach certain goals in life will be privileged to witness the level of greatness that I strongly believe he can reach, and be inspired by it.
Farewell Fabian, I have no doubt that you will do even better than you have previously done and continue to make Jamaica and the New York/New Jersey Metro Stars, proud. Your new colours may be red and black, but we at Harbour View will always see you in that Gold and Blue number 19 jersey, scoring goal after goal, as your success keeps our dreams alive.