CLARENDON PARK, Clarendon — Sporting Central Academy continued their ‘soft revival’ with a narrow 1-0 victory over Highgate United on Sunday at Brancourt to move up to eighth in the Red Stripe Premier League.

Gregory Lewis sent the hosts ahead on 13 minutes following a neat build-up on the right.

Sporting would, however, lose their grip on the game after losing central midfielder Camaal Reid to injury in minute 27, but were rarely troubled by Highgate, whose two best chances fell to the misfiring Roberto Fletcher.

With the win, Sporting leapfrogged Arnett Gardens, who ended goalless with Humble Lion at Effortville, into eighth place on 34 points, while also maintaining their 10-point gap on the bottom two teams.

The result marked a steady turn around in fortune for Nigel Stewart’s side, who have now earned seven points from their last three games, having ended an 11-game winless streak with a similar 1-0 win at Humble Lion last week.

A vintage first-half performance laid the foundation for the victory as the players looked composed, confident and were back to their customary brand of touch football.

Goalkeeper Carlloyd Walters was a dominant figure in his penalty area, which provided the groundwork for a somewhat solid defensive performance from the home side.

However, losing influential holding midfielder Reid to injury early in the game, left a void in the middle of the park, which allowed Highgate back into the contest.

But, the visitors were just not good enough on the day to exploit Sporting’s frailty in midfield as they clearly lacked that commanding personality on the field who can turn a game in their favour, even when they are not at their best.

They afforded Sporting too much time and space to use the ball as they liked, and might have even suffered a heavier defeat had the Clarendon side not lost their cutting edge as the game progressed.

Despite a poor showing, the St Mary side were, perhaps, lucky not have taken the lead early on — with former Tivoli Gardens midfielder Steve Green’s dipping free kick being expertly tipped over the top by the outstanding Walters.

And just a few minutes later they would suffer a fatal blow, with the overlapping Lewis throwing himself into a slightly over-hit Dale Watson cross that caught goalkeeper Ralston Robinson by surprise.