Fabian Taylor’s magnificent strike lead ten man Harbour View to a 1-1 draw against second place team Portmore United at the Compound.
With the rescheduled game being the only game played the afternoon was heavily promoted as the league decider as six points separated both Clubs with only six games left to be played over the last month of competition.
The 84th minute thunderbolt shock the very core of the football foundation to exact a telling blow in favour of the Premier League leaders in a top of the tables clash that lived up to all expectations under persistent showers after 30 minutes into the game.
Even the showers of blessing paused momentarily that allowed the packed house to come out from every single area of cover, peeping constantly having to shelter from the late evenings downpour as the skies opened.
The “Stars of the East” were well prepared to shine brightest under any condition. What they were about to witness was heaven sent as another time-wasting motive of stopping one of the many advances by Harbour View’s defender Christopher Harvey at the halfline resulted in an anger-filled freekick. He hustled Ryan Powell, one of two late defensive substitutes away from the ball with an almighty shove before being spoken to harshly by duty official Courtney Campbell who was having a less than impressive FIFA approved quality game.
Anger was channeled into precision when Harvey floated his diagonal 30 yards kick as rehearsed onto the broad awaiting chest of substitute striker, Gregg Taylor who plays it gently into the path of striker Fabian Taylor who delivers a superb one-time right footed volley of magnificent proportions into the back of the net from 20 yards.
Absolutely stunning… as even National Coach, “Bora” Mulitinovic managed to express an approving smile from the stands. An explosive response from the partisan Harbour View crowd soon erupted into a frenzy lead by flag-bearer Buxton who ran the full length of the inner field with the 20 foot Harbour View FC banner followed by his “sidekick” with the waving HVFC Flag.
Taylor ceased the moment and rushed to the supporters, with teammates in toe and were simply gobbled up in glee, plus celebration tinged with a sense of relief.
Earlier the persistent off the ball fouls went unattended once too often and captain Lovel Palmer reacted violently in centre-field to be ejected in minute 65 giving visitors Portmore a one man advantage.
Before they had rushed into the lead with 48 minutes gone, when Carlington Smith neatly tucked away a goal from 13 yards following a sweeping 6 man ball possession movement that seemed to lull Harbour View players into conceding critical space.
Up 1-0, plus only ten men in opposition the men from Portmore smiled openly as discussions of a mission statement rang out in the stands, apparently in high expectation of perhaps repeating the late surge by Waterhouse executed to perfection against Harbour View last season. It was not to be as that miracle had happened once and lighting was not about to strike in the same place twice. Enter the firm of Harvey, Taylor and Taylor…end of that game.