Harbour View keep survival hopes alive with 1-0 win

Harbour View ended Molynes United's four-match win streak in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) at Constant Spring yesterday and kept their survival hopes alive with a 1-0 win over their opponents.

Garth Stewart scored the game's only goal in the 67th minute, heading home a free kick from Trayvone Reid at the back post.

The win puts Harbour View on 39 points, the same as Molynes going into Wednesday's final round of matches.

Harbour View coach Lenworth Hyde said they knew the importance of the match and commended his main players for stepping up.

"I spoke to the players about the situation we are in. We put ourselves where we are, so we have to try and take ourselves out of it and they did well. They fought gallantly right throughout the game."

He also credited the efforts of talisman Reid and Rohan Brown, who were very influential to the outcome of the match.

"They are very vital to the team. They are the mainstay of the team. They are the senior persons and they should step up their game and they did that today.

"They have been the key players in most of the games we have won this season. They are carrying the team's and the Harbour View flag high," he stated.

Samuel Oke had the first chance of the game after only a minute, but dragged his shot wide.

Molynes had the better of the first half and the chances kept falling to the Nigerian, Oke, who had an opportunity six yards out but slashed his effort wide.

In the 37th minute, he got his best chance but his redirect from six yards fell kindly to goalkeeper Garwin Davis.

Reid came very close to handing Harbour View the lead near the end of the first period, after he was brought down outside the box, but his expertly taken freekick rattled the bar and went out.

Molynes carried their momentum into the second half, and Oke volleyed a great chance over from six yards out in the early minutes.

Nicholas Nelson then came close minutes after with a curling effort from the edge of the box for Molynes.

Brown then came close for Harbour View, after he found space in a crowded box and got off his shot, but an excellent reaction save from goalkeeper Darren Donaie, kept the game scoreless.

Harbour View came even closer minutes later but Brown's header from Reid's free kick crashed against the base of the post.

Molynes responded soon after with a header from Nelson against the bar. Nelson then had a ball cleared off the line in the 72nd minute, as Molynes hunted the equaliser.

Roderick Granville should have made it 2-0 for Harbour View in the 83rd minute but Donaie came off his line to deny the forward.

Molynes coach Jermaine Thomas said they paid the price after wasting their opportunities.

"A tough one. One of those games you don't want to lose but if you are not going to score simple chances then you are not going to put tour hat in the ring.

You are at home. We created clear opportunities and missed from inside the six-yard box. When you miss goals like those, you pay for it," he said.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com