By Nodley Wright, Staff ReporterA BRILLIANT PERFORMANCE from second-half substitute Nicholas McCreath rescued Harbour View from certain defeat yesterday and plunged Constant Spring deeper into depression in the Wray and Nephew National Premier League.
Harbour View have taken over the lead in the second round and move a point behind Arnett Gardens on the overall table with their 4-2 victory.
The former Kingston College and Jamaica youth striker stepped off the bench midway through the second half and struck in the 79th, 84th and 85th minutes as he loosened the noose from around his team's neck. They were on the verge of defeat, trailing Constant Spring 2-1 following strikes from Kibaki Holloway in the 37th minute and Oneil McDonald in the 49th minutes.
Jomo Gordon had scored in the 14th minute to give his Harbour View the lead.
"It is something I worked on. I spoke to the team about that ... coming from behind," said an obviously pleased Harbour View coach Donovan Hayles after his team's victory.
"Today we had to do it a little harder as we were with 10 men from early out. It had upset a little plan I had in terms of a changes I wanted to make but all of that is in the game," Hayles said.
Constant Spring coach Maurice 'Danny' Lyn was an angry man at the end of the game. He slammed his team's performance - especially in the final 35 minutes.
"It has been the most disgraceful 35 minutes of football that I have seen that my team has played," fumed Lyn.
"As a matter of fact, when we went up 2-1, the players took the game to themselves, forgot about the coaching staff, did whatever they wanted to do against the instructions of the coaching staff and basically gave away the game," he said.
"We had the game to win. We keep having easy games to win and throwing them away," said Lyn, who also said drastic action would have to be taken.
Lyn was rightfully angry as his team gave away an excellent opportunity to take the prized scalp of Harbour View. After Gordon had put Harbour View in the lead in a period in which they dominated the game with their slick movement, passing and possessional play.
However, Constant Spring bounced back and it was no surprise when they equalised. The fashion in which the equaliser came though was a surprise.
Goalkeeper Leon Gordon strayed off his line and a cross or shot from Holloway sailed over Gordon's head and into the goal. They outplayed their opponents for the rest of the half but failed to increase the scoreline.
Constant Spring had a dream start to the second half. Former national defender Clifton Waugh, in a moment of indiscretion, tried to clear Fabian Watkins with the ball. Predictably, he failed with the ball bouncing off Watkins and falling kindly for him.
This exposed Gordon who charged out of his goal in an attempt to clear but instead caught Watkins in the hip. Referee Raymond Pyne did what he had to do and brandished a red card.
Leeroy Gray stepped off the bench while goalscorer Gordon took a seat. Harbour View were doubly punished when McDonald fired in an a wicked angular free kick into the far right corner of the net.
Constant Spring had more opportunities but failed to take them. McDonald was substituted and with him a lot of their threat up front went.
It was then up to McCreath to take the game. For his first goal he was lucky not to be whistled for a foul as he pushed off a defender and shot goalwards, getting a deflection off defender Ajai Aurthers.
For the second, strike partner Fabian Taylor, who was in an offside position, stood still as McCreath raced though to control and lovely long pass over the defence from Jermaine Hue. He lobbed Russell Hosang in goal to put his team ahead.
Hungry for his hat-trick, McCreath completed his feat by picking off a back pass to Shawn Hunter and rounding Hosang before turning home.
