After 45+1 minutes of probing football between Harbour View FC and Sporting Central Academy in last night’s mid-week fixture, the entire Harbour View community experienced a power outage.
On a rainy evening with a damp pitch, the slippery conditions got the better of both teams at numerous points throughout the game. Sporting Central started with bursting energy, initiating the first attack on goal as Otis Friend won the ball in the midfield and made a long-range shot in the sixth minute, brilliantly saved by custodian Levor Williams. Most of their shots thereafter went high and wide, and the energy and confidence of the visitors seemed to dwindle while the home team picked up pace.
With a number of newer squad members gracing the field for Harbour View in last night’s game, it took them some time to find cohesion, but as the game went on the team performance significantly improved and shined in comparison to the last few games.
Captain Nicholas Beckett opened the scoring when he leaped in the box to knock home a header from the returning Jermaine Hue who made a well-taken cross from the corner flag in the 26th minute. Coupled with an on-target shot by Anthony Marks in the 12th, a threatening free kick by Khandean Smith in the 40th and a shot just wide of the post by Ranique Muir in the 44th, Harbour View left the pitch with elevated confidence after controlling most of the game and ending the half with the advantage.
Just as players made their way to the changing rooms, the community and stadium’s lights flickered before completely turning off leaving the area in complete darkness. After approximately 30 minutes of waiting, the game was blown off by officials due to the absence of light, we await details for the rescheduled encounter later today from the decisions of the Professional Football Association of Jamaica (PFAJ) Organisation Committee.