Defending champions Harbour View climbed into fourth spot in the Digicel Premier League (DPL) following their 1-0 victory over Reno at the Harbour View Mini-Stadium on Wednesday night.
Ranique Muir converted from the penalty spot in the 27th minute to give them their eighth win of the season, which increased their tally to 27 points. Reno, who were suffering their seventh loss, remained in ninth position on 18 points, but only just, as Village United occupy 10th place because of an inferior goal difference.
In the first half, Harbour looked more composed than the visitors, who looked unsure of themselves in defence and unable to find their shooting range. Harbour View moved the ball around well and managed to get the better of the Reno defence. Reno, on the other hand, looked most threatening from the throws by O’Brian Woodbine.
Reno had a good opportunity in the 21st minute when Davion Thorpe’s free kick left goalkeeper Michard Barrett stranded, but none of the Reno attackers could make a proper connection. Three minutes later, Reno goalkeeper Dennis Taylor showed his worth when he pulled off an excellent save to deny Rafeik Thomas with a close-range header from a Muir cross.
Taylor’s brilliance could not help Reno in the 27th minute when Omar Johnson, who was not having a good game, needlessly fouled Kemeel Wolfe in the box and gave away a penalty. Muir’s effort went in off the left upright.
Efforts way off target
Reno coach Wendell Downswell soon took Johnson out of his misery and inserted André Patterson.
With Harbour View in the lead, the game opened up, with little Troy Reid showing good skills for Reno but, like his teammates, his efforts were way off target.
Harbour View missed an excellent opportunity to go two up before the break when Thomas’ low shot across the goal was missed by Wolfe from just about a foot from the goal.
Reno looked like a new team in the second half as they had more structure and purpose to their play, but while they dominated towards the end of the second half their finishing skills were woefully lacking. They could have gone further behind in the 77th minute when a delightful pass from Jermaine Hue, who had replaced Romario Campbell at the beginning of the half, picked out Thomas perfectly in the box. Thomas shot across Taylor but could not repeat the strike which recently condemned Portmore United to defeat.
“The first half was a classic one in terms of how we moved on and off the ball and we got a lot of one-twos in front of the box. The only disappointing thing is that we did not score from open play when we were playing beautifully,” Harbour View’s Donovan Hayles said after the game.
He added: “The second half was far more disappointing. I think we turned over the ball far too often and I don’t think we managed the game even though we were leading. In the Premier League, no team is going to play badly for 90 minutes and Reno got themselves in the game in the last 20 minutes or so, and we could have been punished for all those chances that we got to put them away and did not.”
Downswell felt that his team gave the goal away but saw enough positives in the second half to be encouraged.
“It was a headless goal, no brain, no thought went into that play. We just literally gave it away. Fortunately for us, we did not concede another goal because they had the dominance in the first half.
“In the second half, we were much more positive. We made some tactical changes and it is just unfortunate that we did not get that all-important equaliser, because I think we dominated for most of the second half but the fact that we played so positively for the last 45 minutes is something good, so we have to improve on that now. Once we can get that one goal or two it will put us in good stead because, overall, our tactical discipline in the last 45 was good,” Downswell reasoned.