ARNETT Gardens had vowed no easy game for Harbour View and they delivered on that promise with a stinging 2-1 win to peg back the Red Stripe Premier League leaders in an exciting contest at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Sunday night.

The talented Fabian Reid, playing out of midfield, netted twice in the fourth and 65th minutes, while Roland Dean had pulled Harbour View levelled in minute 55.

Arnett Gardens regained fifth spot on 51 points with their first win over the Stars of the East this season from three outings. It was a cruel blow for Harbour View, though they temporarily maintained their nine-point lead to be on top with 62 points as second-placed Waterhouse also lost to Humble Lion.

But Harbour View’s lead could be reduced when third and fourth-placed teams Portmore United and Boys’ Town clash in Monday night’s match. Both teams are on 52 points.

With the 12 teams separated into two groups of six after the completion of the third round, the teams ranked one to six have been group together in what is called the Elite Six and will play amongst themselves while the Bottom Six ranked seven to 12 will do likewise in a relegation dogfight.

With this in mind, Harbour View will play alongside Waterhouse, Portmore United, Boys’ Town, Arnett Gardens, and Tivoli Gardens in what is expected to be a hot fourth round involving five games. However, the leaders will have the most difficult task holding off their challengers for the rest of the season, having not won in their last six games while losing two of their last three games.

If that is not worrying, the fact that Deans’ goal on Sunday was also Harbour View’s first in six games with their last victory coming well over a month ago in a 3-2 win over Highgate United on March 3. But that nine-point lead will also be difficult for the chasing pack to erase as they themselves will be playing against and cutting each other’s throats in the process in their bid to catch Harbour View.

But based on the lacklustre performance against Arnett Gardens on Sunday, Vin Blaine and company will have their hands full holding onto that lead which could be reduced to seven by either Portmore United or Boys’ Town in the Monday night thriller due to be played last night.

But Harbour View’s below par performance on Sunday can be credited to a very good display by home team Arnett Gardens who looked the more motivated of the teams.

With just four minutes gone on the clock, Reid’s left-footer from just outside the box apparently took a wicked deflection and wrong-footed goalkeeper Michaud Barret in goal. Harbour View, missing the influential Evan Taylor in that central midfield role plus the calming Christopher Harvey in defence, looked a shadow of themselves as Jermaine Hue and company never turned up in a display lacking verve and style.

But after 55 minutes, poor defending by Arnett allowed Dean to scramble home but Arnett were not to be denied and Reid popped up to seal a good win in the 65th minute with a low grounder, finishing off a sweeping move in which Kamal Malcolm and Vishunel Harris saw their shots blocked.

But Harbour View responded, albeit late, and could have stole a point in time added on as Jeremie Lynch’s effort was blocked on the line. There might even be a good shout for penalty in that play as the ball seemed to have hit a defender’s hand in the goalmouth melee.

Teams:

Arnett Gardens — Damian Hyatt, Keneil Hyde, Anthowe Dawkins, Desmond Breakenridge, Dwayne Gaynor, Oneil Thompson (Andrew Phang 76th), Vishunel Harris, Ricardo Oldham, Fabian Reid (Errol Stevens 78th), Leon Strickland (Kamal Malcolm 63rd), Kirk Ramsey.

Subs not used: Peter Harris, Jabeur Johnson, Newton Sterling, Vanado Manning.

Booked: Harris (60th)

Harbour View — Michaud Barrett, Clifton Waugh, Montrose Phinn, Xavean Virgo, Kimorlee Brissett, Kemeel Wolfe (Nickoy Christian 69th), John Ross Edwards, Richard Edwards (Joel Senior 58th), Jermaine Hue, Andre Fagan, Roland Dean (Jeremie Lynch 66th).

Subs not used: Devon Haughton, Nicholas Beckett, Lamar Hodges, Damion Harwood.

Booked: None

Referee: Kevin Thomas

Assistant Referees: Garnett Page, Nicholas Anderson

Fourth Official: Karl Tyrell

Match Commissary: Anthony Cooke