Photo: Martin Davis played for St. Georges College in the Manning Cup and produced a promising display for Harbour View against Waterhouse on Monday night
The Monday Night fixture, Harbour View FC vs Waterhouse FC, was a very exciting, end to end, action packed game, that would excite the neutrals. In what turned out to be a game of total all-out attack by both teams, Waterhouse prevailed 3-2 in what was a thrilling encounter to the end.
Photo: Martin Davis played for St. Georges College in the Manning Cup and produced a promising display for Harbour View against Waterhouse on Monday night
The Monday Night fixture, Harbour View FC vs Waterhouse FC, was a very exciting, end to end, action packed game, that would excite the neutrals. In what turned out to be a game of total all-out attack by both teams, Waterhouse prevailed 3-2 in what was a thrilling encounter to the end.
This result means Harbour View remain top of the league table whilst Waterhouse leapfrogged Montego Bay United FC (MUFC) into second place to trail the “Stars of the East” by a mere three points.
While the football was very exciting from end to end, it lacked tactical adeptness and game intelligence.
Harbour View came into the game topping the table four points ahead of MUFC and on the heels of three straight home defeats, to August Town in the Jackie Bell KO, Humble Lion in the league and Arnett Gardens, also in the league. Consolidating their position atop the league and restoring home dominance seemed a logical ploy going into the game. Fifty five seconds into the game and they had the perfect start, Mckauley Tulloch latching onto a well placed ball from Nicholas Beckett to slot home quite easily pass Kelson Cousins in goal for Waterhouse.
Spurred on by the early setback, Waterhouse roared back with a ninth minute equalizer from their Haitian forward, Chedlin Francoeur. Twenty four minutes later they took the lead from a left sided free kick when Gary McIntosh was allowed to find space inside the area, for an easy redirect with the head, from a neatly taken free-kick.
The second half produced one goal for either team, McKauley Tulloch equalizing for Harbour View after sixty minutes and Hughan Gray converting a ninetieth minute penalty for the win.
The tactical approach of Harbour View caught me by total surprise. Having surrendered a first minute lead and then clawing their way back into the game, it must be disappointing, losing the way they did. Having made two attacking substitutions in quick succession after the equalizer I would have preferred to see the third substitution being one for stabilization. This I believe would have compensated for the ageing Clifton Waugh who belied his age in matching the Waterhouse strikers stride for stride throughout the game.
Additionally, it seems logical to me that in trying to avoid a fourth straight home defeat it would make better sense to ask the fullbacks – Xavian Virgo and Kemar Lawrence to restrain themselves from overlapping play and to stay closer to the central defensive pair. This would have reduced the amount of space and time Waterhouse substitute forward Benjamin had to run into to create the penalty situation. First the challenges on Juvaune Benjamin were ill-timed and ineffective. In such a situation, at that stage of the game and in that area of the field defenders have to be stronger into the challenge, stopping the play if they must. Before challenges are made however defenders must adhere to the principles of defending both as individuals, in groups and as a team. The group team defending left much to desired.
Even more surprising was the fact that after drawing level at 2-2 Harbour View kept the ball for four or more passes a mere three or four times in the remaining minutes. Keeping possession is as much a defensive ploy as it is an offensive one and more importantly is damaging to the team chasing. Every single possession in the second half of the game even at 2 -2 was a forward pass. This worked to find the equalizer but when the momentum shifted to Waterhouse somebody needed to settle the game and help the team keep the ball for longer periods.
Defensively Harbour View was most intent on fouling Romario Campbell, who deserved way much more protection from referee Gawayne Scott, and defending in one versus one situations with aggression. Better quality possession and passing by Waterhouse and a different referee could have seen them ending the game with less than eleven players and possibly a worse score line. Waterhouse on the other hand appeared more controlled at the back even though Jason Watson the defensive midfield shield in front the back four was quite reckless and ill-positioned far too often.
Benjamin and Marvin Morgan off the bench were the match winners for Waterhouse. Both teams made offensive changes but it was Waterhouse’s Benjamin’s decisive play, turning and running past two Harbour View defenders before being brought down by Lawrence for the penalty. Before Benjamin Chedlin Francoeur held up the ball well but didn’t move it quite enough. Benjamin held it up, dribbled forward and made more passes bringing his midfield players more into the game. This was decisive in the outcome of the game.
Morgan on for the final six minutes showed maturity keeping possession high up the park deep in Harbour View’s defensive zone; forcing successive corners and throw-ins. A little show-boating towards the end gave the spectators something to cheer about.
Harbour View must be commended for boldly inserting seventeen year -olds Martin Davis and Demar Rose. Both did fairly well and showed plenty of confidence.
Knowing how fickle we in football can be, I hope no one will find these points offensive but rather as a point of engagement something we can all do for all our benefit.
Andrew C. Edwards
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views of Yardie Sports or its related entities.
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