Harbour View's Fabian Taylor (left) holds off Andr Darby of Naggo Head during their Wray and Nephew National Premier League game at the Ferdie Neita Park yesterday. The match ended 1-1. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer

HARBOUR VIEW clinched the National Premier League crown last night when second-placed Portmore United were held to a 1-1 draw at Drewsland by Waterhouse.

The draw erased any mathematical chance Portmore had of getting past the 'Stars of the East' and sent to title to Harbour View for a second time.

Earlier in the day, Harbour View were forced to battle against a spirited Naggo Head side and could only emerge with a 1-1 draw at Ferdie Neita Park, which kept them waiting on last night's result.

Harbour View began favourites to clobber last-placed Naggo Head but coach Wayne Fairclough's man-markers, Andre Darby and Andeen Jarrett, hardly gave strikers Fabian Taylor and Kavin Bryan breathing space throughout the first half.

Taylor could have opened the scoring after only three minutes but he pulled his only chance of the half wide after dribbling across the area.

On-one chance

Naggo Head never lost their 5-4-1 formation but a lapse on the right side gifted captain Lovel Palmer a one-on-one chance with goalie Leon Goffe and he made no mistake, booting inside the far post past the advancing keeper in the 29th minute.

However, Kenardo Forbes, Naggo Head's best player on any given day, played a neat one-two with forward Jermaine Clarke on the right flank, three minutes before the break, picking up the return pass inside the box.

Forbes' right-footed shot echoed around the Park like a sonic blast, sailing like a bullet under a stunned keeper Dwayne Miller guarding the near post.

Harbour View stepped up the pace in the second half as coach Lenny Hyde maximised his three substitutions.

The speedy Bryan proved bothersome for Naggo Head's defence in the latter part of the second half as his fierce drive from outside the area almost took off Goffe's arm in the 71st minute.

A minute later, he dragged an easier chance wide of the far post and was only denied by the post with two minutes left on the clock as his powerful shot rebounded into play.

Naggo Head 1

Kenardo Forbes 42nd

Harbour View 1

Lovel Palmer 29th