Photo by LeVaughn Flynn
Harbour View goalkeeper Leon Goffe (left) pops a bottle of champagne during celebrations with teammates after Harbour View were crowned champions of the Coca-Cola National U-21 Football League at the Harbour View Mini Stadium on Friday night.

LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter

HARBOUR VIEW brought five years of dominance by Portmore United in the National Under-21 Football League to an end this season and were duly recognised when they were presented with the Coca-Cola Trophy on Friday night.

Harbour View sealed the title with two games to go when they secured a vital point against their main threat, Portmore, in a 0-0 draw on April 18.

After beating Arnett Gardens 1-0 on Friday at the Harbour View Mini Stadium, which gave them a season-ending 49 points, three more than Portmore, the players didn't need to wait on the trophy to begin the celebrations.

"The attitude and discipline that the team displayed throughout the season was admirable," said coach Ludlow Bernard while dodging champagne erupting from bottles. "It was a model of consistency and hard work from the players."

inspired

The U-21 players were also inspired to, as Bernard describes it, "bring home the bacon", after watching the Premiership team fail to defend its title.

"The Premiership team is the flagship of the club and they were definitely motivated by the lack of performance by the senior team," said Bernard. "They were motivated to ensure that Harbour View don't go empty-handed this season."

Harbour View ended with a record of 15 wins, four draws and three losses.

Striker Andre Fagan notched his ninth goal of the season against Arnett Gardens in the 70th minute and ended as the second-leading scorer behind Waterhouse's Jahmali Spence, who had 16.

Portmore United, who have won every year since the inaugural tournament in 2002, ended with a record of 14 wins, four losses and four draws. In two of those winning seasons, Portmore denied Harbour View the taste of victory, beating them in the final before the competition assumed the league format.

Determination

The champions boast a side that include national invitees goalie Dwayne Miller and defender Lance Laing as well as inspirational captain Montrose Phinn. Yet, Bernard said earning the title came more through determination than skill.

"This team wasn't one that was filled with flamboyance and flair, it was mainly hard work because we recognised from early the limitations of the team and we were prepared to work with it and this is the end result," Bernard stated.

If Harbour View are to make a run of their own as Portmore did, Bernard will most likely have some new faces working with him next season.

"About three of them will be ineligible next year and a number of players are being drafted in to the senior team so come next season I may not see a couple of them so I have to make sure I have replacements."