Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer
FORMER CHAMPIONS Harbour View were in spanking form on the opening day of the 2005-2006 Wray and Nephew National Premier League (NPL) season with a 5-1 hammering of Wadadah at Jarrett Park.
Captain in the NPL for the first time, Lovel Palmer, and Luton Shelton with two apiece, and one from Marcelino Blackburn, were the goalscorers for Harbour View, while Rohan Reid pulled one back for Wadadah.
Despite losing a number of key players from last season, Harbour View appeared not to miss them and showed early that they meant business.
Locksley Thomas, who has taken over the number 10 following the departure of Jermaine Hue, was in good form as he sprayed the passes left and right and the effective Orville Campbell at left back wiped out memories of Robert Scarlett.
Just five minutes into the game, they took the lead through Palmer when he slotted home a free kick knocked across to him from just outside the 18-yard box.
LAST RESORT
The goal resulted from the pace and movement of the Harbour View forwards, in particular Shelton. To stop the Harbour View forwards, the Wadadah defenders and Preston Bernard resorted to fouling them.
Wadadah were not all out of the game and had a number of good opportunities in the first half but Reid could not find the back of the net.
Harbour View's better condition and commitment was responsible for their second goal at the 27th minute as Blackburn picked off a defender midway the Wadadah half and passed to Shelton, who found Kevin King.
King's shot was blocked by goalkeeper Gavin Barnett into the path of Shelton. Shelton's point blank follow up was again blocked but Blackburn ran on to bury it.
It looked as if it was going to be a blowout when five minutes later Shelton headed home the third, capitalising on a ball headed back into the area by Palmer.
Wadadah made two changes before the half ended but they made little difference.
Ten minutes into the second half, Preston Bernard earned himself marching orders for a second bookable offence with a foul on King. He was earlier booked for a foul on Shelton.
As often happens in games, some teams play better when down by a man and Wadadah were no different. They stepped up their game and just three minutes later, Reid scored for them with a long-ranged speculative effort, which got by Murray.
Harbour View introduced three substitutes, namely Sean Mason, Leon Strickland and William Richards. All three injected life into their team. Strickland played a big part in his team's fourth goal when he crossed for Shelton to steer home in the 77th minute.
Three minutes later it was all Palmer who climbed high to head home a delightful cross from Campbell.
"I am really pleased with the performance because it is a new-look team and I was wondering what they would offer.
"I saw positive signs in training and in our pre-season tour but it is a different thing to produce in the premier league," a beaming Harbour View coach Donovan Hayles said at the end of the game.
"We are very cognisant of the fact that we started late but these were reasons beyond our control, so it makes no sense to beat up ourselves. I thought we gave up some soft goals though, but we will be back," was Wadadah coach Anthony 'Follies' Williams' reaction at the end of the game.
SCOREBOARD
Harbour View 5
Lovel Palmer 5th, 80th
Luton Shelton 32nd, 77th
Marcelino Blackburn 27th
Wadadah 1
Rohan Reid 58th
