Adrian Frater, News Editor

Harbour View's goalscorer Lovell Palmer (centre, on ground) had a pretty rough afternoon in their Digicel Premier League game at Elleston Wakeland Centre yesterday, as the Village defenders were sharp on his heels. Here, Johnathan Yahmoa (left) and Preston Copral combine to halt his forward movement. Palmer scored both goals in Harbour View's 2-1 win. - Photo by Adrian Frater

Western Bureau:

End-of-first-round final champions, Harbour View FC, made Village United pay for a spate of missed chances in the first half when they fought back strongly in the second half to score a 2-1 win, in yesterday's Digicel Premier League fixture at the Elleston Wakeland Centre, in Falmouth.

The Waldemar Lemos de Oliveira-coached Harbour View, which lead the competition with 26 points, got their goals through Lovel Palmer, who struck twice in two minutes.

Omar Allen, who missed several first half opportunities, got Village United's lone goal.

"We planned carefully for this game because we knew Village got a new coach and were highly motivated," said de Oliveira. "I am satisfied with the way we played although we made a mistake in defence, which cost us a goal."

Good chance lost

Village United's coach Paul 'Tegat' Davis, in charge of his first game at Village United this season, said his players played well in patches but fell short in terms of getting goals, although they were able to match the Harbour View team.

"We are not going to complain too much although we got the chances to win this game," said Davis. "Our fitness level is not as good as it should be and that affected our ability to really press Harbour View when we were attacking."

For the first 40 minutes of the game, all the good scoring opportunities went Village's way as Radcliff Hall, Allen and Shane Crawford all got looks on goal but failed to convert.

In the 32nd minute, Hall came closest to scoring when his fierce header struck the crossbar and rebounded into play.

With time running out in the half, Harbour View got back-to-back chances in the 42nd and 43rd minutes. First, Dicoy Williams nodded wide from six yards and second, Palmer broke free before the goal but lobbed over the crossbar with goalkeeper Daniel Rickettes moving forward to challenge him.

In the second half, Harbour View started out looking rather ominous and took the lead in the 49th minute. Palmer pounced on a lovely looping passing from midfield and, with the goalkeeper at his mercy, lashed the ball into the goal, making the score 1-0.

Neat pass

Before the Village United defence could settle, Harbour View struck again. Palmer took a neat pass from Jermaine Hue and fired a powerful grounder, which drew no reaction from goalkeeper Rickettes, to make the score 2-0.

Midway the half, Village gradually began to come into their own, forcing back the Harbour View defence with numerous attacks. In the 70th minute, Fabian Dawkins should have put them on the scoresheet but after getting a clear header, he nodded tamely at the goalkeeper.

Village finally got on the scoresheet in the 77th minute when Allen latched on to a long clearance from goalkeeper Rickettes, sped away and fired into the goal, making the final score 2-1.

In the dying minutes of the game, Village had the Harbour View defence on the run but, despite their best efforts, got no further goals before the final whistle.