Donovan Hayles of Harbour View. - File

Tactical moves midway the second half by Harbour View's coach, Donovan 'DV' Hayles, enabled his team to register a deserving 1-0 win over Portmore United on Sunday night in their Digicel Premier League (DPL) clash at the Harbour View Mini Stadium.

Realising that his team lacked spunk up front and noting that attackers Kemar Petrekin, Nicholas Beckett and Marcelino Blackburn had become unimaginative and were being marked out, Hayles made three attacking substitutions in five minutes.

In the space of 10 minutes they reaped instant rewards via the boot of forward, Rafiek Thomas.

Hayles first brought on national Under-20 standouts Alanzo Hadlam and André Steele for Beckett and Blackburn in the 57th minute. Moments later, he brought on former Tivoli Gardens High Manning Cupper, Thomas, for Petrekin. The impact was immediate.

Top-drawer header

Giving Portmore a lot to think about, the hard-running trio pushed captain and central defender Anthony Modeste and company on the back foot, brought the partisan home crowd into the game and resulted in what turned out to be the game's decider in the 72nd minute.

In what was a top-drawer glancing header, largely seen in top European competitions, the medium-built but slippery Thomas darted midway inside the penalty area, shrugged off the challenge of two defenders, and in one motion rose high before producing the faintest of headers.

So good was the header that not even the sprawling hands of goalkeeper Shawn Sawyers, who was well positioned, could stop it as it grazed the upright low down on its way in.

The goal threw the yellow-and-blue-clad home fans into a frenzy and brought smiles to the face of Hayles who, before the substitutions, was being heckled by home supporters following a dull first-half showing.

"Before the game I said to the players that games like this would test their ability. Today they took heed and rose to the challenge and I am proud of the way they performed," said Hayles, whose team, with the victory, moved to an ever-improving 3-3-0 record and third position on 12 points, two behind leaders St Georges.

Just in time

For the 24-year-old Thomas, the goal came at the right time.

"It's my second game of the season and I told myself if I got the chance again I would try to make the best use of it. I am glad I did," said Thomas, who has been with Harbour View for the past four seasons and has, in the past, been invited to national Under-20 and Under-23 trials.

Portmore, who were suffering their first defeat of the season, appeared shell-shocked, with their coach, Linval Dixon, calling the result disappointing.

"We were sloppy at the back at times and it cost us. It's our first defeat, but we will bounce back. We have a lot of work to do," said Dixon, whose team are fifth on nine points.