Perennial rivals Waterhouse FC and Harbour View battled to a hard-fought 1-1 draw in the fifth and final match in the first round of the Jamaica Premier League.
The match played at the Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence on the grounds of the University of the West Indies saw Andre Fletcher converting a penalty for Waterhouse in the 15th minute but Oquassa Chong replied with a beautiful freekick in the 24th minute.
But just before Waterhouse got their penalty, Harbour View themselves were left despondent as seconds before, they too had a loud shout for penalty after Chong crashed to the turf.
But up went Waterhouse and veteran Lovel Palmer was deemed to have committed a foul on Kenroy Howell and referee Christopher Mason pointed to the spot after a brief look at the play.
Andre Fletcher stepped up and fired past Tafari Chambers in goal and gave Waterhouse a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute.
But the talented Chong, now becoming a freekick specialist from his exploits with Jamaica College in the Manning Cup, stepped up and curled a beauty past Tafari Chamber’s brother, Akeem, to pull Harbour View levelled in minute 24.
It was an even game with a fair result and both teams really put down the ball and tried to play positive football in what turned out to be an entertaining encounter. Waterhouse’s assistant coach Daniel Bent, was pleased with the point although he believed they could have secured all three points.
“Well we got a point and we didn’t lose the game. But we wanted all three points but that didn’t come our way,” he pointed out.
“I think we had a good first half and even a better second half. We could have scored many goals if our decisions in the final third were better,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Harbour View’s head coach Ludlow Bernard said he was not totally disappointed with the result.
“It was a game of two halves. We attempted in the second half to really play on the counter but I don’t think our distributions were great and it kind of affected our abilities to create goal scoring opportunities,” said Bernard.
“But we were playing against a very good Waterhouse team and I think a 1-1 result is a very fair result,” he added.
The Man-of-The-Match award went to the outstanding Oquassa Chong of Harbour View, who is more known for his midfield but played as a striker in this game and did very well.
Teams
Waterhouse: 01-Akeem Chambers, 06-David Edwards, 15-Andre Fletcher (Andre Leslie 79th), 10-Kenroy Howell, 08-Nicholy Finlayson, 26-Ramone Howell, 13-Ricardo Thomas, 28-Shawn Dewar (Shaquille Bradford 64th), 55-Shevon Stewart (Colorado Murray 64th), 20-Denardo Thomas, 35-Roshane Sharpe.
Subs not used: 40-Zemioy Nash, 21-Damion Binns, 25-Duvaughn Dunkley, 37-Rafeik Thomas.
Coach: Marcel Gayle
Booked: Shawn Dewar 42nd
Harbour View: 01-Tafari Chambers, 17-Ajeanie Talbott, 27-Jamone Sheperd (16-Garth Stewart 65th), 44-Lovel Palmer, 12-Casseam Priestly, 21-Odorland Harding, 29-Oshane Staple, 13-Cristojaye Daley (30-Tevin Scott 82nd), 23-Saqlain Waul (24-Ronaldo Robinson 55th), 08-Lennox Russell (15-Tyrese Williams 55th), 22-Oquassa Chong (28-Shawn Daley 82nd).
Subs not used: 50-Akeem Smith, 03-Tarick Ximinies.
Coach: Ludlow Bernard
Booked: Casseam Priestly 85th, Tevin Scott 90+3
Referee: Christopher Mason
Assistant Referee 1: Stephanie-Dale Yee Singh
Assistant Referee 2: Kioney Denton
Fourth Official: Odette Hamilton
Match Commissioner: Beverley Melbourne
