HARBOUR View started strongly in Group Two of the CONCACAF Club Champion-ships whipping Violette FC of Haiti 5-0 at the Harbour View Mini-Stadium last night.
In the curtain-raiser at Barbados Knock Out champions Paradise FC cliped a skillful Roots Alley Ballers of St Lucia 1-0.
Coach Peter Cargill was a pleased man at the end.
"I think we performed well especially in the first half.
"We created a number of scoring chances," Cargill said.
Emmanuel Georges of Violette FC gave credit to Harbour View for their technical and physical ability and the way they dispatched his outfit.
Midfielder Jermaine Hue scored twice while Fabian Taylor, Mark Miller and Robert Scarlett scored one each.
Harbour View in their familiar approach - get it to Hue and he will do the rest - was in evidence early as all their attacks were channelled through the left side with Hue and Scarlett combining with good effect. While the Haitians were slow in picking up the their opponents' strategy, they showed glimpses of a good team in the first five minutes. The calm the Haitians displayed was soon destroyed as the speedy Scarlett was to storm down the left flank leaving Estainvil Robenson in his wake on each occasion. With just seven minutes on the the clock one of the Harbour View signature moves paid off.
Hue released Scarlett down the left flank and he predictably roasted Robenson before crossing inside where Miller made contact with the ball but was unable to finish. The alert Taylor would not allow the chance to be missed as he ran onto the ball and carried it into the net with his chest.
Violette FC were still in the game a goal down and could have pulled a goal back in the 10th minute as pressure forced Clifton Waugh to rush a high back pass which had Leroy Gray
backpedalling to keep it out of his goal. Their early good play would not amount to much and in another five minutes they were two goals behind.
Again the goal was created down the left side and Scarlett the provider. He received a pass out wide, dismissed Robenson and another defender who came across to offer support before knocking the ball inside the 18-yard to Miller. The former army man was quick to fire and benefitted from a deflection off David Saincius to beat Nixon Donnis Jean in goal.
Before the Violette could catch their breath they were hit once more. A minute later they were down 3-0 and Scarlett the provider turned goals scorer.
By then the Haitians were well out of it and their wish then was probably to avoid a 6-0 thrashing. They only just.
Hue had his first strike in the 33rd minute and predicatbly Scarlett was a part of the play.
Three minutes later, Violette FC saw what everyone saw. Robenson was leaking like a strainer and they replaced him with Dukens Pompilus at rightback.
In the second half Violette FC gave a better display and only conceded one goal. Though they appeared a little bit more organised, their improved performance had more to do with the approach of Harbour View who made two changes.
The competition continues Tuesday with another double-header. At 6:00pm Violette FC meet Roots Alley Ballers before Paradise FC go up against the hosts at 8:00pm.
By Nodley Wright
Staff Reporter
