Waterhouse’s captain Christina Murray (second right), steps away from Harbour View’s Taniesha Vassell (left), while Tyeisha Grant closes in during yesterday final of the Sherwin Williams Colourscape Knockout at the UWI Bowl. Harbour View won 2-1. (Photo: Bryan Cummings)
Harbour View maintained their vice-grip hold on the Sherwin Williams Colourscape Knockout competition after brushing aside Waterhouse 2-1 at the UWI Bowl yesterday.
The Vin Blaine-coached Harbour View is the only team to have its name engraved on the trophy for the five years of its existence.
The ‘Stars of the East’ walked away with the $50,000 winning prize for a deserving win, while Waterhouse pocketed $35,000.
Defender Jennifer Williams gave Harbour View the lead in the 30th minute, converting from a corner kick in a goalmouth melee.
National captain Taniesha Vassell, playing in a more advanced role, doubled the advantage in the 57th minute after collecting a ball just inside the box and firing past the advancing Nicola Linton in goal.
Harbour View’s Shanique Mitchell (second left), tries to elude three Waterhouse players (from left) Marla Simmonds, Christina Murray and Sydonnie Hall. Harbour View won 2-1. (Photo: Bryan Cummings)
Harbour View, with national players Shakira Duncan, Kimmia Parker, Peta Gaye Soman, Stacy-Ann Johnson, Natasha Douglas and Shanique Mitchell, dominated and should have killed off the game from midway the second half.
But their profligacy in front of goal ensured a nervous finish after Christina Murray curled in a beautiful free-kick in the 89th minute.
Nevertheless, Harbour View held on for the win and coach Blaine was a relieved and happy man.
Said Blaine: “We did what we had to do and that is win the game. I knew that Waterhouse will run at us hard, they have always done that.”
He continued: “You have to give credit to Waterhouse because we were stretched, but we stood up. In the last 20 minutes we dropped off a bit, soaked up the pressure and tried to counter and we should have got two goals from that and kill the game.”
As for coach Xavier Gilbert, it was another painful defeat to Harbour View in the knockout final.
Said Gilbert: “We started out a little lacklustre and weren’t aggressive to the ball then we settled, but a couple of mistakes let them in the game.
“We looked much better as a team coming forward, but they played better than us, they matched up better and it took us too long to get in the game,” he added.
The knockout was contested by seven Premier League teams and four from the A league.
The league will start on Thursday with Waterhouse trying to defend their crown.
Teams
Harbour View – Kerise Heywood, Stacy-Ann Johnson, Jennifer Wiliams, Kerry-Ann Edwards, Tyeisha Grant (J’Vonnell Simpson 74th), Natasha Douglas (Nicole Bell 60th), Kimmia Parker, Peta-Gaye Soman (Jodi-Ann Burke 86th), Taniesha Vassell, Shanique Mitchell, Shakira Duncan.
Subs not used: Shelliana Johnson, Georgette White, Telesha Campbell, Samantha Kinglock.
Booked: Soman (20th), Mitchell (49th).
Coach: Vin Blaine