Deep squad bails out defending champions Harbour View

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Harbour View depended on their bench to get back into their Jamaica Premier League game against Mount Pleasant Academy and remain unbeaten, the two playing to a 1-1 draw at Stadium East yesterday.

The defending champions were put on the back foot early as Sue-Lae McCalla got Mount Pleasant under way as early as the seventh minute. The Stars of the East would recover but had to wait until the 74th minute when substitute Colorado Murray found the equaliser.

“I keep emphasising the importance of my substitutes. My aim this season is to bring the levels of all the players to a very high one so that each player can be replaced,” said Harbour View head coach Ludlow Bernard.

Harbour View went behind when Jamoi Topey, who had advanced up the park, found himself free on the right side of his opponent’s defensive third and drove a rasping grounder across goalkeeper Amal Knight, who could only parry the effort.

The rebound fell to McCalla, the only player to react.

Mount Pleasant dominated the early encounters even though statistics showed Harbour View just ahead in the percentage of possession.

Truth is that the lion’s share of chances fell to Mount Pleasant, with Trevante Stewart the culprit who failed to put Mount Pleasant two up.

The Theodore Whitmore-coached unit would rue not taking advantage of their dominance.

“I think we were flat in the second half. I think we had the better of the wind in the second half of the game, and we didn’t take advantage of it,” said Whitmore.

In that second half, Bernard brought on Murray, who ran on to a chipped pass from Jashaun Anglin, scoring a looping header over Mount Pleasant goalkeeper Tafari Chambers.

“Both [Jamone] Shepherd and Murray came on, and I think they provided that difference we wanted,” said Bernard.

Both teams remain unbeaten but gave up their 100 per cent win records.

In the day’s other game at Stadium East, Portmore United and Arnett Gardens also played to a 1-1 draw.

The result came courtesy of a 54th-minute strike from Damari Deacon for Arnett and a reply from Portmore’s Tevin Scott in the 59th.

Arnett opened the scoring when Kimani Arbourine whipped in a low right-sided cross that fell to the feet of Deacon, who had enough time to settle, pick his spot and calmly slot home.

DIAGONAL CROSS

But Portmore would come roaring back five minutes later and a diagonal cross field pass from Emelio Rousseau was spectacularly volleyed home by Scott.

While the game was even, Portmore United, through Scott’s profligacy in the first half and a Rushane Thompson miss in the 88th minute, could feel hard done not have stolen three points.

“The chance that we got in the 88th minute from young Thompson, I think with a little more composure, we’d have gotten all three points here today,” said Portmore coach Phillip Williams.

Still, Williams is under no illusions that the result was anything but fair, saying that Arnett dominated the first half but that his side came into its own in the second.

Assistant coach of Arnett Eric Rademakers believes the draw was as a result of impatience.

“Sometimes we don’t have the patience and we try to rush it too early, too quick to a pass that is not really on, and when you lose it in transition, that’s when you’re vulnerable because you’re disorganised,” said Rademakers.