Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

HARBOUR VIEW coach Lenworth Hyde has attributed a mutual respect between players and coaches at the club as a major part of the team's success so far this season.

On Wednesday night, the 'Stars of the East' continued to dispel myths held by many spectators that they are not a big occasion team when they trounced titleholders Waterhouse 3-1 at the Harbour View Mini-Stadium to move three points clear at the top of the Wray and Nephew National Premier League.

This was not the first big victory for the team as earlier this season they also scored a huge win over Waterhouse to lift the first end-of-round title.

"We have a lot of respect and love for the players and they are really giving it back to us on the field," a satisfied Hyde said following the team's win on Wednesday.

"They are playing for us, playing for themselves and most impor-tantly they always want to win," he said.

Stay up

"Now we have the lead, we will try to maintain it. We have hit the front so we will have to stay up. Every game from now on will be twice as important," he said.

Robert Scarlett scored from the spot to give the home side the lead in the 17th minute. Hundreds of cheering fans found their voices when striker Fabian Taylor spun sharply in the area before blasting past Waterhouse custodian Richard McCallum in the 21st minute to double the lead.

Waterhouse defender Marco McDonald cut the deficit in half with a 40th-minute header and midfielder Irvino English came close to levelling the score in the 76th, but his header from a Demar Phillips' corner flashed wide of the far post.

Kemeel Wolfe finished the game off for Harbour View 10 minutes later but he had some help from Waterhouse 'keeper McCallum. The custodian, who had been immaculate in goal, spilled a long-range effort from Oniel Smith which allowed Wolfe to tap in from close range.

Despite a number of players being absent from their line-up, Waterhouse coach Barrington Gaynor did not believe that was the reason for his team's loss.

"We have a deep team and I can't say if those players were there we would have definitely won the game. I think it was our attitude today. We were not composed enough," Gaynor said.

"We gave up two quick goals - we just started poorly. We played better in the second half but we just did not get it done," he said.

Harbour View 3

Robert Scarlett 17th

Fabian Taylor 21st

Kemeel Wolfe 86th

Waterhouse 1

Marco McDonald 40th