Constant Spring's central defender Marlon Bennett (right) prepares to close down Luton Shelton of Harbour View during their Jackie Bell Knockout quarter-final yesterday. Constant Spring won 1-0.
-Carlington Wilmot photo
Daraine Luton, Freelance Writer
HARBOUR VIEW'S hopes of capturing six trophies this season were kicked through the window by Constant Spring yesterday.
The Upper St. Andrew side, on the back of Garfield Gillispie's 55th minute strike, secured the last semi-final spot in the the Western Union/KSAFA Jackie Bell Knockout after a 1-0 home win.
It was a highly competitive and physical affair between the sides who are at separate ends of the table with Harbour View being the National Premier League (NPL) end- of-first-round and Caribbean Club champions, and Constant Spring, just finding form after ending the NPL first round, joint last.
The 10 yellow cards and two red cards dished out told the story of not only a fierce, but also a competitive battle.
DISAPPOINTED
"They hustled us for the ball and they did it well. The field was conducive to that type of football and Constant Spring did what was necessary to win the game and they did it well," a disappointed Harbour View coach, Donovan Hayles, said.
However, for Constant Spring's technical director, Maurice 'Danny' Lyn, victory came as a result of the 'sweeping changes' he promised last year.
"The new trust and the confidence of the players is showing. There is much more synchronisation in the team and the energy for 2005 is there. After Sunday's win (Reno), today's win is a big win for us," Lyn said.
Constant Spring stopped Harbour View at this stage for the second time in a row. And for doing so, their reward is a spot in the January 30 semi-finals against Tivoli Gardens and kudos for being the first team since Portmore on November 11 last year, and the second overall this season, to beat Harbour View. Waterhouse and Arnett will contest the other semi-final.
"It is a mental thing with us and the Jackie Bell. It is a disappointment because we were looking to take everything this season but this trophy has gone down the drain," said Hayles.
STRONGEST TEAM
"We were looking to capture this in particular, but now we just have to put that behind us and move on," he said.
Harbour View fielded maybe one of their strongest teams this season, with only goalkeeper Michaud Barrett being the only member of the starting team without a legitimate claim to a starting spot.
National representatives Jer-maine Hue, Jermaine Taylor, Damion Stewart, Robert Scarlett and Luton Shelton all answered when the first whistle was blown.
Likewise, Jomo Gordon, Sean Fraser, Craig Stewart, Donald Stewart and Christopher Harvey all started before Fabian Taylor made his first appearance for the club this season at the expense of Jomo Gordon, Lovell Palmer for Jermaine Taylor and Akeem Priestley for Fraser.
But despite their abundance of gtars, glory never came the East's way. Gillispie collected a pass from Jermaine Richards 25 yards away from goal and with the Harbour View defenders caught backing off due to Richard's run, Gillispie took advantage of the space left for him and let fly a rightfooter that caught the goalie marginally off his line, sailed over his head and into the goal.
Harbour View pressed hard for the equaliser and sent in attackers Taylor and Priestly but Marlon Bennett, Carlos Williams, Dwayne Smith and Daemion Benjamin made life difficult for them. However, when Benjamin was ejected after a second bookable offence, it offered a glimmer of hope to Harbour View who sent central defender Damion Stewart to play forward. It never worked out for Harbour View who were soon reduced to 10 men after Donald Stewart was booked for a second time.
Taylor would, however, find himself in a wonderful position to level the scores in the 79th minute but his tame shot was blocked by goalkeeper Ralston Robinson before it was eventually cleared.
And with time running out for Harbour View and Hue not being allowed to have his own way in the middle of the park, Harbour View were lucky not to go behind by another goal. Fabian Watkins, after being fed by Richards leaving him with the goalie to beat, could only manage a baby shot six minutes from time.
