Boys' Town not ready to give up

Ainsley Walters, Gleaner Writer

ANDREW PRICE wouldn't have known he was probably congratulating Harbour View coach Donovan Hayles on Sunday night when Roen Nelson booted in a 78th-minute penalty at Ferdie Neita Park to all but hand Portmore United the Red Stripe Premier League title.

The latest news out of Portmore was that the runaway league leaders, who started the afternoon on 65 points, an eight-point lead, with four games left in the season, were trailing Tivoli 0-1 at Ferdie Neita Park.

If the result stood after 90 minutes, it would have given Coach Price's Boys' Town a mirage of a chance, even after their 0-2 loss at Harbour View.

The mirage would be Portmore losing to Tivoli, and also their three last games, whereas Boys' Town would win their last three, compile 66 points and take the title by a point - stuff made in Hollywood.

DOING the math

Price was still doing the math during the post-game interview, unaware that Nelson had levelled the score at Ferdie Neita Park, making it impossible for any team to top their 66, even if the leaders lose their three remaining games for the season.

"I don't know if it's a race for second place," Price defiantly responded to the suggestion that Boys' Town on 57, Waterhouse on 55 and Humble Lion, 54, were all playing for second money.

"We're going to play the rest of our games and see where it takes us," he added, hoping the eight-point gap would stand.

He, however, was a bit more realistic in adding that getting even a point against Harbour View would have been more encouraging.

"We were hoping for at least a point. We didn't get any and that leaves us up the creek," Price admitted, forgetting to add "without a paddle", the position in which his team finds itself after a toothless display against Harbour View.

Not scoring chances, he said, was Boys' Town's "Achilles' heel" this season.

"Harbour View got their chances and took them with aplomb," he noted.

BEAUTIFUL GOALS

Aplomb was an understatement. After midfielder Kimorlee Brissett botched what should have been their opening goal, in front of an empty net, in the 31st minute, Harbour View clinically took out Boys' Town with attractive goals.

John-Ross Edwards' 50th-minute scorcher from atop the area kept low and sailed inside the far post, freezing goalie Kirk Porter after forward Jermie Lynch held up the ball well and laid off nicely with his back to goal.

The second goal was also a beauty. Joel Senior's free kick from the right flank came in with the right height and pace for defender Jaron Richards to volley past Porter, who dived correctly but too late for the bullet shot which flew out of the crowded penalty box.

Harbour View, who finished the regular season in sixth spot, moved to 50 points, two off deposed champions Tivoli.

Coach Hayles said strong back-to-back performances against Portmore, then Boys' Town on Sunday, showed the team had quality, but got going too late.

"Each team gets a run; our run came late," he said.