TITLE-chasers Harbour View scored twice in time-added to beat Arnett Gardens 2-1 and move to the top of the Digicel Premier League standings as the third round ended yesterday.
Harbour View’s win combined with Tivoli Gardens’ 0-1 loss away to Portmore United at Ferdie Neita Park, ensured the Donovan Hayles team move to the summit of the league on 64 points.
1/1
Tivoli are now second on 63 points with only five games remaining in the fourth round.
The Stars-of-the-East, who were trailing 0-1when the fourth official indicated four minutes of added time, engineered two unlikely goals through defender Dicoy Williams and substitute Jahmali Spence to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Inform striker Newton Sterling had headed Arnett into the lead in the 33rd minute after the home team soaked up the early pressure from Harbour View.
The towering forward out-jumped Harbour View’s goalkeeper Michaud Barrett at the near post to glance home Kevin Wilson’s floated left-sided corner into the far side of the frame.
Arnett custodian Julian McLeish had earlier pulled off two excellent saves to deny Romario Campbell and Rafeik Thomas in the sixth and 36th minutes.
However, the game took a dramatic twist in the dying moments with the relegation strugglers looking to defend their 1-0 advantage with only four minutes of added remaining.
Urged forward by his captain Richard Edwards, defender Williams grabbed the equaliser for Harbour View in the 92nd minute, as he out-jumped his marker Rohan Reid, to head home a left-sided cross provided by midfielder John Ross-Campbell.
Ross-Campbell was also instrumental in the winning goal, as he turned his marker before swinging in a low cross from the left flank, which was side-footed into the goal by substitute Jahmali Spence. The Under-21 striker, who repalced defender Kevin Wooley in the 79th minute, made no mistake as he beat veteran goalkeeper McLeish from eight yards.
The defeat means Arnett Gardens slipped down to 10th position in the 12-team standings on 36 points. They will play off with the bottom six teams in the fourth round, to try and avoid relegation from the nation’s top flight football competition.
TEAMS:
Arnett Gardens — Julian McLeish, Gerald Neil, Lennox Creary (Cornel Chin-Sue 48th), Newton Sterling, William Richards, Ricardo Smith, Garfield Gillespie (Nicholas Dodd 77th), Jermaine Grey (Leon Strickland 64th), Kevin Wilson, Rohan Reid, Rasheede Clarke.Subs not used: Kemar Douglas, Courtney Reid, Damion Hyatt, , Vanado Manning.
Booked: L Creary (15th), R Reid (42nd), R Smith (48th)
Harbour View — Michaud Barrett, Kevin Wooley (Jahmali Spence 78th), Montrose Phinn, Dicoy Williams, Daveion Woodhouse, Richard Edwards, Marcelino Blackburn, John Rss Edwards, Romario Campbell (Andre Steele 73rd), Rafeik Thomas (Andre Fagan 58th), Kavin Bryan.
Subs not used:Carlloyd Walters, Clifton Waugh, Kimarlee Brissett, Nicholas Beckett.
Booked:R Edwards (27th), R Campbell (71th)
Referee:Dave Peterkin
Assistants: Garnett Page & Stephen Brown
Fourth Official: Oneal Clayton
Match Commissary: Anthony Cooke