Harbour View not giving up the chase

Richard Bryan, Gleaner Writer

Coach Donovan Hayles came close to conceding that the reign of the Digicel Premier League (DPL) defending champions Harbour View is all but over, following his team's 2-2 draw with bottom-six outfit Sporting Central Academy at Brancourt on Sunday.

The best-placed team to win this season, Tivoli Gardens, now hold a 10-point lead over third-place Harbour View and with five remaining games.

"Once we still have a mathematical chance we will continue to fight, but today's result made it harder," Hayles lamented after the draw.

Trelawny-based Village United was the only team to record a victory in Sunday's final round of matches in the third round, but Habour View literally threw away the chance to collect three points after missing a penalty - when they were 2-1 up - after 54 minutes.

Second-minute lead

Kemeil Wolfe had earlier provided a second-minute lead from their first attack of the game, when he capitalised on a defensive mix-up to poke past Andre Blake.

Sporting would rally to find a 22nd-minute equaliser, when Onike Ford headed powerfully past Michaud Barrett, after Keith Kelly picked him out with a brilliant cross.

Identical to the first half, Harbour View again took the lead in the second minute - after the break - again through another defensive mix-up. Jahmarley Spence was allowed to shoot unhindered past Blake, who was still on the ground, after an earlier parried save.

With Harbour View having the ascendancy, Blake made a horrific kick and miss at a clearance, but the new man in the central position, Michael Plummer, cut down Spence as he was about to shoot from six yards.

To the relief of the Sporting Central fans, the young national goalie made amends by parrying John Ross Edwards' spot kick, to keep the score at 2-1.

"Regardless of the opportunities you get to score, you just don't miss a penalty," commented Hayles.

It was the fillip from which Sporting were able to launch several attacks, which forced a penalty call from a handball.

It was 2-2 when the burly Ford hit powerfully on the ground to the right-hand corner, giving Barrett no chance, a glaring contrast to Edward's kick which went aerial to the goalkeeper's left.

Hayles later revealed he was disappointed that the team's established penalty taker, Christopher Harvey, did not take that responsibility. The lost chance, he feels, has now badly hurt his team's chance to hold on to their trophy, which seems headed Tivoli's way.

"Today (Sunday) was a big setback," lamented Hayles. "We needed to win and hope that they slip up."