Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
LOWE
WATERHOUSE MISSED a couple of opportunities and a chance to keep in touch with leaders Harbour View, after playing to a 1-1 draw in their Wray and Nephew National Premier League (NPL) game against Portmore United yesterday.
Demar Phillips gave title-chasing Waterhouse a dream start in the third minute. He rose high to powerfully head home an Irvino English corner kick.
But the towering Onandi Lowe, who once represented Waterhouse, equalised immediately after the break, converting a Kevin Deerr cross in the 46th minute.
With Harbour View bagging three points with a 2-0 win over Rivoli, Waterhouse threw everything, including the kitchen sink, at Portmore but came up just short. Jomo Gordon, Kevin Lamey and Akeno Morgan all came close to finding the clincher in the dying moments.
Gordon in the 85th kicked high from close range with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Lamey headed high from inside the six-yard box in the 87th minute and Morgan's overhead kick rattled the crossbar in the 90th minute.
Waterhouse, with this draw, dropped two valuable points and are on 53 points, four behind Harbour View with the threatening Tivoli Gardens eight points behind on 45. Wayne Fairclough, coach of Waterhouse, said his team did not seize their opportunities and paid the price.
"Again we squandered a lot of chances. Portmore came here a prepared team tactically and we gave up a soft goal in the second half, he analysed.
"The Waterhouse players fought gallantly and in the end we should have won. In the last 15 minutes we squandered at least six clear chances. That's the game and we will have to come again," added Fairclough.
Waterhouse garnered one point in the last two home games and with six rounds to go, it is becoming more difficult for the Drewsland team.
"Playing at Waterhouse is not easy and the spectators know we have a hard task ahead," said Fairclough.
Meanwhile, Paul Young, Portmore's coach said his team played well and thought both had opportunities to win the game.
"We gave up a goal in the first minute but we didn't panic. We controlled the midfield and got the goal. We had some chances and when you don't take them when you play a good team this is what happens," said Young.
GOALSHEET
Waterhouse 1
Demar Phillips 3rd
Portmore 1
Onandi Lowe 46th
