Nodley Wright | Jamaica Gleaner
Montego Bay United left the Harbour View mini-Stadium the happier of the two teams on Wednesday night after battling their way from two goals down to clinch a character-demonstrating 2-2 draw in the first-leg semi-final of the Red Stripe Premier League.
Battling hosts Harbour View for a place in the final, Montego Bay United found themselves behind seconds after kick-off as Damion Harwood steered home a cross from the competition’s leading scorer, Brian Brown. Twenty-six minutes later, the visitors were further behind as Harwood thumped home a header from a delightful Xavian Virgo cross following a mistake by Cordel Simpson.
Looking as if they were affected by the one hour and 17 minutes delay due to a power outage, the slow-starting Montego Bay United gradually got back into the game. Their efforts were mainly led by Dino Williams, who could not be contained by the central defensive pair of Dicoy Williams and Montrose Phinn.
Harbour View continued to have the better of play as Jermaine Hue, in his first game for nine months, looked as if he had never been away as he found his passing range immediately. John-Ross Edwards was also lively, while Nicholas Beckett was a physical presence in the middle. Brown also looked sharp but experienced some strong challenges from the Montego Bay United defenders. Wisely, Brown chose to involve his strike partner, Harwood.
Back in the game
Montego Bay United’s recovery officially got going in the 34th minute when the confident Omar Gordon collected Keneil Kirlew’s pass on his chest, got the better of a defender, and served a teasing cross, which Dicoy Williams could only head into his net under pressure from Dino Williams. From then on, the level of the game lifted as both teams traded attacks, created, and missed chances.
In perhaps the most crucial moment of the game, the 67th minute, Brown offered Harwood his hat-trick goal on a platter with a delightful outside- of-the-left-foot pass. With just the massive figure of goalkeeper Jacomena Barrett to beat, Harwood, known for being much better with his head, kicked tamely at Barrett. Seconds later, and in response to that play, Dino Williams found himself free inside the 18-yard box. Having missed other chances previously, he made no mistake this time.
“Yes and no,” was how a relaxed Montego Bay United coach Dean Weatherley responded when asked if he was satisfied with the result.
“Yes, in that we did not lose the game; and no, in that we had planned not to concede any goals, but that is the game of football. it is a dynamic game. It is not always like how you plan it because you have 22 different minds on the field, but it is one where I am pleased with the end result,” he added.
Harbour View’s Andrew Hines was predictably not satisfied with the outcome of the game.
“I am not satisfied with the result, and I am not totally satisfied with the performance of the team either, but it is play-off time and everyone is coming to win, so we can’t take Montego Bay United lightly. It was a game of a competitive nature, so it was expected for them to come like this,” he said.