Reno………………………………………….. 2 Williams (4th), Wright (11th)
Harbour View…………………………….. 1 Bryan (9th)
SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth – It was easily their least convincing performance since their temporary switch of home base from Frome to Santa Cruz two months ago.
But at the end of 90 minutes plus yesterday, Reno FC had surged to a 2-1 win over mighty Harbour View at the STETHS Sports Complex here, in the process displacing the east Kingston side for second place in the Wray and Nephew National Premier League (NPL).
Before a fair-sized crowd, on a pitch softened by persistent light, Martin Williams gave Reno the lead in the fourth minute only for Harbour View’s Kavin Bryan to find the equaliser in the ninth minute. But just two minutes later (11th minute), Reno striker Kirk Wright, popped up to provide the winner.
In another match yesterday, August Town and Village played to a 1-1 scoreline. The Boys’ Town-Arnett Gardens and the Tivoli Gardens-Naggo Head games were called off due the malaria crisis in the western belt of the city.
But at STETHS, the opening goal came with Reno’s first attack of real purpose. The short, stockily built Williams turned rapidly on a pass from midfield and powered between central defenders to boot his low right-footer past the advancing Michaud Barrett, in goal for Harbour View.
Unperturbed, Harbour View, passing and combining well, found the equaliser when the impressive, strongly built Bryan got his boot to Gregg Taylor’s powerful shot from the left of the penalty box, finding the net as Reno’s national Under-20 goalkeeper, Dwayne Kerr was left for dead.
But the Reno home support was soon shouting and dancing again, as Wright breaking free of defenders, knocked home Williams’ cross from the right.
The game swung from end to end for the rest of the half. But in the second half there was no doubting Harbour View’s supremacy in ball possession and potency of attack.
With the second half just a few minutes old, Reno supporters held their breath as Loxley Thomas dribbled diagonally through the heart of the Reno defence but saw his low shot from the left roll across the face of goal.
Then the big, powerful Kerr at full stretch was just able to palm Thomas’ looping header over the bar. And 10 minutes later Kerr diving low to his right held Bryan’s goal-bound header from taylor’s right-sided cross.
Reno countering, found Harbour View short at the back but Ricardo Scott’s right foot shot was stopped by Barrett.
An overlapping Oneil Smith should have found the equaliser for Harbour View with almost the final kick of the game, but his casual lob with the defence beaten and Kerr hopelessly out of position, went high.
A pleased Reno coach Wendell Downswell said his team did what it set out to do. “We wanted three points and we got it and it is particularly pleasing that we beat one of the top four teams. From here we just plan to go from strength to strength,” he said.
Harbour View’s Lenworth Hyde felt his team paid the price for missing too many chances. But he also paid tribute to Kerr. “The Reno goalkeeper made the difference,” he said.
- Teams: Reno – Dwayne Kerr, Everton Palmer, Dwayne Williams, Omar Black, Kendrie Quarrie, Nicholi Findlayson, Kevon Grant, Fabian Blake (Patrick Graham 69th), Nyron Davis (Evan Taylor 80th), Martin Williams (Ricardo Scott 65th), Kirk Wright.
- Subs not used: K Blair, E Taylor, R Golaub, M Howard, G Brown
- Booked: Palmer (13th), Black (26th), Golaub (62nd), Blake (64th), Kerr (90th)
- Harbour View – Michaud Barrett, Kevin Wooley (Kevin King 68th), Gregory Simpson, Clifton Waugh, Oneil Smith, Richard Edwards, Lovel Palmer, Donald Stewart, Loxley Thomas (Kemeel Wolfe 68th), Gregg taylor (Rafeik Thomas 58th), Kevin Bryan.
- Subs not used: E Cameron, K Petrekin
- Booked: Bryan (13th), Simpson (43rd) Palmer (47th)
- Referee: Ricardo sailsman
- Assistants: Garfield Roberts; Delroy Harding
- Fourth Official: Elihu Holmes
- Match Commissary: Ewan Scott