Maverley/Hughenden's Jodian Morris (left) shields the ball away from Harbour View's Tanesia Vassell during thier JFF/Sherwin Williams women's league match at the Harbour View Mini-Stadium on Wednesday. Harbour View won 2-1. - Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Harbour View recorded a hard-fought, come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Maverley/Hughenden in the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF)/Sherwin Williams' Women's League on Wednesday at the Harbour ViewMini-Stadium.

In the day's other games, Portmore United defeated Meadhaven United 4-1 and Waterhouse whipped Olympic Gardens 4-0.

"We had a poor game today even though we won the match," said Vin Blaine, coach of Harbour View. "If Maverley were a bit more positive in their play the game would have had a different outcome.

"My team hasn't had many games, so we haven't been training a lot and it showed today. We started out very tentative but in the second half we took control of the game, but this is not good enough to take to us through to the championship," he said.

"We have lost four starters to our team and it showed today. But these young ladies are still learning how to play their positions and I think that they will get better. We are going back to practise for the next game and I know we will get better as the season goes on."

Much fitter team

Glenroy Flowers, coach of Maverley/Hughenden, said: "Clearly, Harbour View is much fitter than my team, so my instruction to them was to let the ball do the work but they wanted to dribble and they know that they are not fit, so our opponents just did what they had to do to win the game.

"One of our weaknesses is that we always allow teams to play freely against us. However, we got some chances but we didn't put them away and it's goals that win matches, and we need to start scoring because we can't be creating a lot of chances and then finishing poorly," he said.

Jodian Morris gave Maverley/Hughenden the lead in 16th minute when she fired home from the penalty spot after teammate Latoya Daley was brought down inside the 18-yard box.

However, Harbour View national representative Nicola Bell gave her team the equaliser in the 41st when she also converted from the penalty spot.

Harbour View dominated the second half and were finally rewarded in the 77th minute when Georgette White's corner kick found its way into the back of the net to make it 2-1.

A few moments later, Samantha Kinglock came close to doubling Harbour View's lead, but her long-range effort was denied by the crossbar.

-R.B.