Atapharoy Bygrave’s lone strike proved enough to secure Waterhouse a third win on the trot and fourth of the Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League (JPL) campaign as they edged Harbour View FC 1-0 in a keenly contested encounter at Waterhouse Mini Stadium in Drewsland on Monday.

Bygrave’s 54th minute goal, his fifth of the season, propelled Waterhouse into third position on 12 points, the same as second-placed Portmore United, who boast a slightly better goal difference. Montego Bay United are now in pole position on 13 points.

Harbour View slipped to eight on seven points.

Interestingly, Bygrave, the former Dunbeholden FC and Mount Pleasant FA striker, has accounted for all five goals registered by Waterhouse so far this season, a feat that has left assistant coach Damion Gordon pleased.

“We are pleased; we are overall pleased with the three points. In terms of how we were compact today (Monday) and how we played defensively, it was also a plus for us. But we had some chances that we could have put away the game early, but that’s just how it is sometimes. We asked for the support from the community, and we got that, and you can see that the guys fed off that energy, and I am pretty impressed with our transition, so overall this team is growing and growing as a unit,” Gordon said in a post-game interview.

Despite the wet conditions, both teams were purposeful at the start, as they showed good attacking intent in the early exchanges.

Waterhouse gradually gained the ascendancy with a couple half chances from a melee in the 10th minute, but Harbour View's defenders stood firm at that point.

That started a decent passage of play for Waterhouse, who again breached Harbour View’s defensive line in the 15th minute when Shemar Boothe’s long pass from the middle of the park found an unmarked Shamarie Dallas, but the striker sporting the number 63 jersey failed to bring the ball under control to cause any problems.

Four minutes later, Martin Davis found space deep inside Harbour View’s 18-yard box for a right-footed drive that was easily collected by a well-positioned Romario Palma in goal for the ‘Stars of the East’.

Though Waterhouse were more threatening in the attacking third, it was Harbour View that had the best opportunity of the half to break the deadlock in the 26th minute when Demar Rose dispossessed a defender and went on the break.

However, instead of attempting to beat the advancing Kemar Foster in a one-on-one situation, Rose chose to play a pass across the 18-yard box for David Reid, whose right-footer was deflected over the crossbar. 

Waterhouse again came to life on the resumption and had an early opportunity five minutes in, but Dallas wildly fired his effort high and wide despite having time and space deep in the danger area.

The hosts inevitably found the go-ahead goal on a well-worked transitional play in the 54th minute. It started with goalkeeper Foster finding Leonardo Jibbison, who played a delightful pass in the danger area to Bygrave, who slipped two defenders and drove a left-footer past Palma. 

Harbour View continued to play their game and threatened a response in the 71st when Rose’s weighted cross fell nicely for Luca Kung, whose effort was deflected over.

Still, Waterhouse had the final say and should have doubled their lead, but Palma came up big to deny substitute Andre Fletcher on the break, while Nicholas Hamilton’s attempt on the rebound was charged down by a recovering defender in time added.

Harbour View’s Head coach, Jason Henry, was left disappointed with the loss.

“When you play against teams like Waterhouse and you get chances, you have to find a way to take one and throughout the run of play, Waterhouse got one against the run of play and that’s what hurt us. So it is just painful at times to know that we put the work in to win games and we create the chances and don’t take them,” Henry said.

Matchweek six results

Molynes United 0, Arnett Gardens 3

Humble Lion 0, Montego Bay United 0

Portmore United 2, Chapelton Maroons 1

Vere United 3, Dunbeholden 0

Cavalier 2, Mount Pleasant 2

Tivoli Gardens 1, Racing United 0

Waterhouse 1, Harbour View 0

There is very little that Tivoli Gardens can do wrong these days, and their 1-0 win over Harbour View in the marquee Monday night Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League (WNJPL) fixture was another testament to that.

Though it wasn't their most polished performance, good fortune, which has complemented their vein of form throughout the season, was at the fore of their latest victory at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.

Anthony Nelson's solitary seventh-minute strike, which was basically a gift from Harbour View's goalkeeper Romario Palma, saw the West Kingston team back into second position on 48 points, five behind leaders and reigning champions Mount Pleasant Academy on 53 points. 

The top two teams have already confirmed their playoff berth, along with Cavalier (48 points), Portmore United (45 points) and Arnett Gardens (45 points), while Waterhouse (37 points), Montego Bay United (37 points) and Dunbeholden FC (34 points), are in a tussle for the sixth and final spot. Harbour View remain 12th on 22 points. 

While acknowledging that the performance could have been better, Tivoli Gardens's Head coach Jerome Waite felt his team did well enough to come out tops in a tough encounter.

"It's a part of the game and it is how we trained we played today (Monday). If you noticed, it's not always to go out there and score three, four or five goals, sometimes if you get one, it's all about managing the game from there...team management, time management and players’ management, so I think we did well. This is what we look forward to as it boils down to the business end of the season," Waite said.

It was a lively start to what was expected to be a close contest by both teams, with Harbour View showing first in the early exchanges, when Jashaun Anglin's third-minute freekick was tipped over by Diego Haughton in goal for Tivoli Gardens.

Tivoli Gardens broke the deadlock shortly after, as Palma under no pressure, gifted possession to Nelson, and the player sporting the number 11 jersey gleefully accepted and converted a well-taken chip shot from just outside the 18-yard box.

They should have doubled the lead three minutes later, but Barrington Pryce couldn't keep his effort down after meeting Alton Lewis's weighted freekick.

Both teams continued to give as good as they got on the attacking front, and Anglin again went close to Harbour View in the 43rd but was denied by another good save by Haughton.

Tivoli Gardens responded two minutes later, when Lewis headed on a ball for Odean Pennycooke, who failed to apply the finishing touch, as the score remained 1-0 at the break.

On the resumption, Harbour View gradually asserted authority and enjoyed a good passage of play, but were undone by faulty shooting, coupled with resolute defending by Tivoli Gardens, in their hunt for the elusive equaliser.

In the 66th minute, Okeemo Jones lifted a weighted cross in the danger area, but Garth Stewart headed over the crossbar from dead centre of the six-yard box.

Three minutes later, Jones again floated a decent cross inside, but Lewis produced a desperate sliding challenge to thwart Omar Thompson's effort, which was destined for goal, at the far post.

Tivoli Gardens eventually broke the shackles and took control of the contest in the latter stages. They thought they doubled the lead in the 77th minute when substitute Rodico Wellington got the ball in the back of the net, but his strike was flagged for offside.

Another substitute Kimarley Smith struck a firm right-footed shot from distance that was parried by Palma five minutes from time.

Despite their dismal run this season, Harbour View's Ludlow Bernard pointed out that the performance for the most part, was an Indicator of the quality they possess.

"This has been the story of our season all round. I think we gave a credible performance in terms of attack, we created opportunities, but faulty finishing continues to be our problem. It is just unfortunate we gave up that one early and Tivoli is a very difficult team to break down, they defended stoutly for long periods, and we came up short. The season hasn't gone how we wanted to, but we gave a fighting performance against the number two ranked team in the land," he noted.

Matchweek 24 results

Portmore United 0, Vere United 1

Mount Pleasant FA 2, Arnett Gardens 0

Treasure Beach 0, Cavalier 5

Waterhouse FC 1, Dunbeholden FC 0

Montego Bay United 2, Molynes United 1

Humble Lion 6, Lime Hall Academy 0

Tivoli Gardens 1, Harbour View 0

Cibao FC of the Dominican Republic ended their 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup on a positive note with a 2-1 victory over Harbour View of Jamaica in their Group B finale at the Estadio Cibao in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic on Thursday.

Despite the result, Harbour View advance to the semi-final as the second-place team in Group B with seven points, while Cibao finished third with four points.

Playing for pride, Cibao came out ready to battle and broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute when a free kick played into the area was flicked away with a defensive header, but the ball landed right to Yohan Parra, who swung in a shot past Harbour View goalkeeper Romario Palma for a 1-0 Cibao lead.

The momentum was with Cibao and on the half-hour mark Carlos Heredia was fouled in the Harbour View area, resulting in a penalty. Heredia calmly converted the spot kick, doubling the Cibao's advantage.

Harbour View were stunned but came to life toward the end of the half and Shaquiel Bradford turned in a rebound right before halftime to bring the visiting Jamaicans back into the encounter at 2-1 at the break.

Harbour View kept the pressure on in the second half and Cibao's goalkeeper Christopher Gonzalez somehow prevented an equalizer with a reaction save in the 72nd minute.

In the end though, the Cibao's defence held the line the rest of the way to nail down the victory.