Tongue-lashing licks spirit into Harbour View

Coach's half-time talk inspires change as Stars of the East rally to beat Boys' Town

Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer

A combination of faulty finishing and indiscipline denied Boys' Town a place in the Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA)/ Claro Jackie Bell knockout final, as they squandered an early lead to go down 2-1 to Harbour View in their semi-final encounter at the Harbour View Mini Stadium on Sunday night.

The Red Brigade totally dominated the first half and took a third-minute lead through Jamiel Hardware.

They then went on to create two more glorious opportunities to increase their advantage, one of which fell to Hardware. The most glaring came the way of Dean Thompson but, like Hard-ware's earlier miss, he only succeeded in striking his shot straight at Harbour View's custodian, Michaud Barrett.

Boys' Town's coach, Andrew Price, was left to once again rue his team's missed chances.

"We got several opportunities in the first half and if you don't score your chances they are going to come back and hurt you. And a little indiscipline crept into the team in the second half and people got out of control and we went down to 10 players," Price bemoaned.

"It is goals that win matches and we got numerous chances to kill off the game from the first half, and then Harbour View got the ascendancy and then going to 10 men we were always going to be behind the eight ball," he further lamented.

Price's team was made to pay for their wastefulness in front of goal just before the half-time interval, as Kemeel Wolfe (42nd) scored a goal to pull the Stars of the East level.

Violent conduct

This gave Harbour View the impetus they needed in the second half and their cause was aided in a major way in the 74th minute when Boys' Town's Anthony Bennett was red-carded for violent conduct.

Donovan Hayles-coached Harbour View then took a strong hold on the game and were rewarded in the 89th minute when substitute André Steele clinched the win.

Hayles explained the reason for the change in fortune.

"I gave them a little tongue lashing inside the changing room, we were a bit flat and I let them know we are playing in a cup final," Hayles stated. "We made some adjustments defensively and once we did that and locked down Boys' Town's attacking flow, we were able to mount our own attacks with more spirit and more vigour and it just prevailed."

Harbour will go in search of their fifth Jackie Bell KO title and the winning purse of $350,000 when they play the competition's most successful team, Arnett Gardens, who have won the crown on five occasions.

Javoni Simms had earlier given Arnett a 1-0 win over Waterhouse in the other semi-final at the same venue.