Harbour View FC registered their third win of the season and, in the process, snapped a three-match losing streak in the Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League (JPL), as they bettered Racing United 3-1 in a lopsided encounter at Stadium East on Sunday.

Anchored by a dynamic brace from veteran striker Andre Fagan (2nd and 18th) and a composed 90+6 penalty finish from Rohan Brown, Harbour View dictated the pace of the game, with a display of their offensive might from start to finish.

Racing United’s consolation was courtesy of Casseam Priestley’s 71st-minute own-goal.

With the win, Harbour View jumped to seventh on 10 points, while Racing United remain 13th on five points.

Winning coach Jason Henry praised his team’s overall performance.

“We wanted to dominate possession because once you have the ball, you can’t get hurt, so once you can keep the ball, that’s good. I just want to thank the guys for this win. We have been creating a lot of chances all season, so it is very pleasing to score three goals and come out with three points,” Henry said in a post-game interview.

It was a brisk start by Harbour View as Fagan opened the scoring when Omar Thompson’s long pass from the back sent him on his way to finish over the head of the advancing Caryle Holmes in goal for Racing United.

That goal set the tone for the game as Harbour View asserted dominance with controlled passing and relentless forward pressure, which showcased the experience and finesse that have come to define the "Stars of the East."

They doubled the lead inside 20 minutes when Fagan met Romario Gibbs’ cross deep in the 18-yard box and easily finished beyond Holmes at his near post.

Fagan should have completed his hat-trick in the 35th as he controlled Matthew Coke’s cross and had space and time to finish, but was hesitant in pulling the trigger and the chance went abegging.

Three minutes later, Gibbs got in behind defenders but his initial effort was blocked by Holmes, while the follow-up shot went wide of the left upright as Harbour View remained 2-0 up at halftime.

Racing United came alive in the second half and looked a more determined and organized side. Their renewed focus led to a good passage of play, from which they went close in the 69th when Romario Palma spilled the ball from a corner kick but Priestley was on hand to mop up the mishap.

However, Priestley went from hero to culprit when he miscued a clearance from Tyrone Mullings’ cross, which resulted in an own-goal as Racing United were rewarded for applying pressure.

However, that was all they would get as Harbour View once again went on the charge and inevitably restored their two-goal cushion in time added when Brown fired home from the 12-yard spot after Diego McKenzie was taken out by Holmes in the danger area.

Racing United’s assistant coach Donovan Lofters rued his team’s lack of communication and organisation, particularly in the first half.

“We were more organised in the second half, and we got one back. We were looking for the equalizer, but it just didn’t happen. So a lack of organization and communication was our downfall. We were too emotional in the first half, but we calmed them down at the break and we came out better in the second half but another lapse in concentration cost us when we were seeking the equaliser,” Lofters said.

Sunday’s results

Dunbeholden FC 2, Chapelton Maroons 0

Portmore United 4, Molynes United 0

Humble Lion 1, Arnett Gardens 2

Harbour View 3, Racing United 1

Tivoli Gardens 1, Cavalier FC 1

St Catherine High will enter the round of 16 of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Digicel Manning Cup on a high after they topped Zone G with a 1-0 win over many-time champions St George’s College at Winchester Park on Friday.

Romaine Walters got the solitary strike in the 28th minute to ensure his team ended the first round unbeaten on 22 points with 30 goals to their credit. Interestingly, it was Walters’ first goal of the season and a welcome one at this point of the campaign.

St George’s College, who were suffering their first loss of the season, ended second on 19 points and, as a result, will be grouped with reigning champions Mona High for the second round.

Holy Trinity (seven points), Norman Manley (four points), and Papine (three points) were the teams in Zone G.

Donovan Lofters, St Catherine’s assistant coach, was delighted with his team’s showing.

“It was a spirited performance; playing against St George’s College at home was always going to be difficult, but kudos to our keeper; he kept us in the game, and we are happy to have him. It was a game of moments; we got off a number of chances and we took one of ours, so we are grateful, and this is good for our confidence going forward,” Lofters said in a post-game interview.

St Catherine dominated proceedings for the first 20 minutes, as they were more enterprising and also more threatening in open play.

After close shaves and half-chances, they inevitably broke the deadlock when a corner kick was headed back across in the path of Walters, who released a fairly tame effort that eluded St George’s goalkeeper Jordan Knight, who made a lazy attempt at a save.

St George’s College eventually settled into their game and went close through Matthew Spence, who pulled the trigger from point blank range, but Omarion Brown, who was impressive in goal for St Catherine, stuck out the right hand to deny him.

Minutes later, Brown, diving full stretch to his left, again came up big to keep out Shaquan Clarke’s shot from a distance.

Though the second half failed to produce a goal, it wasn’t for a lack of trying from both teams, particularly St George’s College, who created numerous half chances, which they failed to make count due to faulty shooting and more decent glove work by Brown.

St Catherine had their best chance to add to their tally in the 88th, when substitute Terray Harvey somehow skied an effort from close range.

Neville ‘Bertis’ Bell believes they could have won the contest, but for Brown’s brilliance between the sticks.

“I thought we deserved something from the game, but we didn’t score, and we gave up a goal that we shouldn’t have given up, but Omarion Brown kept them in the game. Congratulations to them and congrats to him; he was amazing. I loved the game; I thought it was a good schoolboy game, and we wanted to win or at least get a point, but we are good because we are in the second round,” Bell noted.