Harbour View FC returned to capital city Kingston following a morale-boosting 0-0 draw at Wespow Park, the home of Red Stripe Premier League champions Montego Bay United (MBU).
Down in the doldrums of the league table, Harbour View had a superb game from goalkeeper Joel Johnson, who made four spectacular diving saves late in the second half to deny MBU the win.
The visitors were left to complete the game with 10 players, after Damarley Oliver was issued a second caution for a crunching tackle on forward Dino Williams in the 67th minute.
Williams had earlier picked up his customary caution also, when the referee booked him for lashing out at his marker. But the striker did have an early chance in the sixth minute in an otherwise cold display, but Joel was in the right place to scoop the ball up.
Harbour View, sitting last in the table with three points, stemmed their tide of losses with yesterday’s draw. They previously recorded a single victory and three straight losses.
However, they will feel they are on the right track, following the draw at MBU, as mentioned by coach Ludlow Bernard.
GREAT GAME
“We came not to lose and having drawn the game I think a point is good enough,” Bernard said.
“I lift my hat to all the players and I give them credit for playing hard from start to end. Apart from that it was a great game and we look forward to moving out of the danger zone,” added Bernard.
He had Johnson to thank, as the keeper made some fantastic saves to deny Allan Ottey and Dwayne Ambusley.
His dive to the right to stop a rare attempt at goal for the MBU captain was the pick of the lot and highlighted Harbour View’s confidence as the match wore on.
Slavisa Bozicic, MBU’s Serbian technical director, decried his team’s many missed chances, stating his players were unlucky not to score, but vowed they will rebound in their next outing.
“We had many chances to score but just couldn’t hit the target today. It was an otherwise good match. The opposition played hard and the result, although we would have preferred a win, is not a bad one,” said Bozicic.
Teams:
Montego Bay United — Jacomeno Barrett, Ladale Richie, Fabian McCarthy, Orlando McBayne (Jason Watson 46th), Allan Ottey, Ramone Sibley (Ronaldo Rodney 46th), Keniel Kirlew, Dwayne Ambursely, Zvezdan Dordilovic, Dino Williams, Cory Hylton (Johann Weatherly 77th)
Subs not used: Al Nesbeth, David Swaby, Derron McLeod, Donovan Carey
Booked: Williams (28th), Ottey (63rd)
Harbour View — Joel Johnson, Andre Messam, Demarley Oliver, Rickcardo Harriott, Mark Miller, Nicholas Beckett, Rosario Harriott, Jon-Ross Edwards, Daniel Green (Ross Burton 68th), Ranique Muir, Jaleel Chamberlain (Hugh Evans 68th)
Subs not used: Mark Bryan, Omar Palmer, Dario Stewart, Daminan Anderson, Le-Shaun Young
Booked: Miller (26th), Evans (76th), Oliver (ejected 61st)
Referee: Gawayne Scott
Assistant Referees: Lloyd Edwards, Jeron Porteous
Fourth Official: Tyrone Robinson
Match Commissary: Linnel McLean
Sources: Jamaica Gleaner, Jamaica Observer