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

Jamaica's Dunbeholden ended their 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup campaign on a high note with a 2-1 victory against Cibao FC of the Dominican Republic in Group B action at the National Stadium on Thursday.

The result saw Dunbeholden FC complete their failed campaign with four points from their four games, while Cibao FC are eliminated from advancing with one match to play. It also ensured another Jamaican side Harbour View, a spot in the semifinals.

The first big chance came right before the half-hour mark in the 29th, when Dunbeholden’s Nicholas Nelson did well to evade a pair of defenders and round Cibao goalkeeper Miguel Lloyd but hooked his shot wide with two defenders stationed on the goal line.

Dunbeholden stayed on the front foot and Nelson looked almost certain to break the deadlock in the 41st, when alone one-on-one with Lloyd, but the veteran goalkeeper made the big-time save to keep things scoreless.

At the third time of asking in the first half, Dunbeholden broke the deadlock in the waning seconds before halftime when Nelson outraced a defender and played a simple ball across to Shakeen Powell, who had an easy sweep into net for a 1-0 lead.

Cibao woke up in the second half and pulled even 1-1 in the 55th on a sensational left-footed volley from Facundo Guichon off an inch-perfect cross from Lean Torres.

But Dunbeholden answered right back and went back ahead 2-1 in the 63rd, when Rohan Brown nodded home a header at the back post.

From there, the Dunbeholden defense did the rest to keep the Cibao attack at bay and nail down the three points.

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