By Paul A. Reid, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
HARBOUR VIEW maintained their hopes of another shot at a Wray And Nephew National Premier League end of round title after beating Wadadah 3-1 at Jarrett Park yesterday.
Goals from Fabian Taylor, Daniel Shaw and substitute Nicholas McCreath carried the East Kingston team to their fifth win in the last six rounds and tied on points with leaders Hazard United and Waterhouse, all on 22 points.
Former national striker Devon Ricketts pulled one back for the home team on his debut but limped off minutes later with a hamstring injury.
Harbour View are in second place on goal difference, however, with a home game against slumping champions Arnett Gardens to come on Sunday as the round comes to an end.
Meanwhile at the Frome Sports Complex, home team Reno gave up two goals in the last two minutes as Rivoli rallied to snatch a point, their second in their last six outings.
Nigerian Mobi Oparaku scored in the 88th minute and Garfield Reid in time added on after Delvano Brown in the 35th minute and Pete Campbell in the 49th minute had given the home team what appeared to be a comfortable lead.
At Jarrett Park, Harbour View's coach Donovan Hayles told the Gleaner following the game that while he was happy for the three points he was disappointed with the poor surface at Jarrett Park which "hampered the flow of the game."
He blamed the home team for not "doing more to ensure the field was up to Premier League standards" but added that he understood that the field was used on Sunday following a shower of rain.
He said however, he thought his team performed creditably but their finishing was off.
Hayles' counterpart at Wadadah, Carlton Alexander, said his team looked much better than their previous game but added that some players never got into the flow of the game and their poor efforts let the rest of the team down.
He had high praises for the four new players including Ricketts who came into the team and said with some more games under their belts, should help the team wins some games.
The four new players who started yesterday included national under 20 goalkeeper Richard McCallum who became the fifth custodian used by the former champions this season, defender Garfield Brown who transferred from Reno, the United States based Marvin Dodd and Ricketts.
Wadadah started as the better team but the visitors quickly settled down and took the lead in the sixth minute when Taylor finished off a good move down the left by powering it past McCallum from close range.
Robert Scarlett started the move when he dribbled out of the defence then passed to Hue who picked out Taylor with a good pass.
With the exception of a few good attempts from Ricketts and a free kick from Lacon Brissett that sailed inches over the bar, Harbour View dominated the first half but were let down by Taylor who missed at least three good chances.
Shaw doubled the lead in the 60th minute when he timed his run to perfection, catching the Wadadah defence that was playing for an offsides call, and gave McCallum no chance from point blank range.
Harbour View threatened to swamp Wadadah but McCallum was equal to their efforts pulling off a series of brilliant saves, two in quick succession from McCreath while sitting on the ground.
It was the former Kingston College Manning Cup striker who had the last laugh though when he increased Harbour View's lead in the 81st minute by squeezing one past McCallum at the near post after another defensive mix up by the Wadadah team.
Ricketts got his team's goal six minutes from the end when the Harbour View defence failed to get to a cross from the right side and he easily side footed the ball into the goal.
