Hayles unperturbed by Harbour View's slow start

Harbour View's coach, Donovan Hayles, says he is not too perturbed by the slow start his team has been experiencing in the National Premier League.

The Stars of the East, who were dethroned of the title last season, have so far secured a loss and a draw in their opening two games, this after tying 2-2 with promoted Highgate United at Lynch Park yesterday.

This draw adds to their 2-1 loss to Humble Lion at Harbour View Mini Stadium in their first game.

But according to Hayles, who led Harbour View to the title two seasons ago, this is not the first time that the team has been slow out of the blocks and as such he was looking forward to them rebounding.

"The last time we won the Premier League we were able to amass only two points from our first five games, so being in this position is not really new to us," said Hayles.

"I am somewhat concerned with how the team is playing, as we're not playing well enough and not concentrating as much as we should.

"But what I am not too concerned about is our start to the league as we have a quality team and have it well within us to bounce back," he added.

Yesterday's showdown, which saw Premier League action returning to Lynch Park, despite the venue's home team St Georges being relegated last season, saw Harbour View taking a 2-0 lead in the first 15 minutes.

Free kick

First to score was forward Rafiek Thomas, who headed in a Jermaine Hue free kick in the first minute of play.

Ten minutes later, the visitors went 2-0 up when Christopher Harvey met another Hue free kick and booted home from inside the area.

Highgate signalled their comaback in the 62nd minute, when they got a goal from Donovan Davis, who latched on to a square from the left.

With time running out and Highgate creating opportunities, the home team was then able to claim a share of the points when Romeo Parkes found himself on the end of yet another square, this time from the right side, and netted from inside the area in the 90th minute.

First point

It was Highgate's first point of the campaign, as they went down 3-2 to Waterhouse in their opening match at Waterhouse Mini Stadium.

"Like our first match it's a game that we could have won," remarked Highgate's assistant coach, Michael Smith.

"After making two mistakes in the first half, we played a superb second half, whereby we controlled the flow of the game and should have won 3-2 or 4-2.

"But that is the nature of the game sometimes. Like our first game what this result shows is that we are not here just to compete, but challenge for the title and hopefully this point is the start of many more to come," he added.