Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter
DESPITE STILL trailing leaders Waterhouse F.C by two points with just two games to go, Harbour View's coach Donovan Hayles, who has seen his team lose a 13-point cushion, still strongly believes that they can win the Wray and Nephew National Premier League.
"We are still two points behind but all we have to do is win the rest of our games and the cup is ours. We already have one win today and come Sunday we will be going for another one." said Hayles after a hard-fought 1-0 win over relegation-threatened Constant Spring at the Harbour View Stadium on Wednesday.
"We lost the lead yes, but we won't dwell in the past, the players know that we cannot afford to lose another game, our backs are to the wall and that is the approach that we have to take." he said.
It was last man Clifton Waugh who made sure that his team, now on 63 points, did not slip any further when he rocketed a penalty kick past Constant Spring custodian Kirk Williams, who never looked comfortable in goal, on the stroke of half-time. Constant Spring's Eric Mundle had inadvertently handled a Desmond Breakenridge close range cross.
TEAM BELIEF
However, while clutching all three points from the encounter has Hayles still believing in his team, one can only wonder if this opinion is shared by the broader fan base. At Wednesday's game the patrons in the stands, which were far from filled to capacity, seemed listless as if they have had the wind knocked out of them by the now 13-point fall.
Even the cheerleaders
brightly clad in their blue and yellow uniforms, once bellowing encouragement to the men on the pitch, still cheered but seemed subdued as they executed a much duller than usual half-time routine. But even though things seemed a bit dreary they must have been encouraged by the play of Gregory Simpson who came off the bench to play the striker role.
INTELLIGENT
Though lacking in general pace and perhaps a bit of goal scoring refinement, Simpson looked supremely intelligent up front and gave the Constant Spring defenders a torrid time. He looked like extending Harbour View's lead ten minutes from time, when timing his run to perfection from the edge of the 18-yard line he broke into the penalty area. However, one on one with Williams, he lashed a shot which kept rising over the cross-bar and ended up in the stands.
Shawn Hunter looked to have Constant Spring's best chance of the game on the stroke of full time. Hunter charged in from a corner but glanced the resulting header wide of goal.
Still chasing Waterhouse who are on 65 points, the stars of the east host long-time rivals Boys' Town on Sunday.
GOALSHEET
Harbour View 1
Clifton Waugh 45th
Constant Spring 0
