BARBICAN took a narrow 2-1 lead in their Sherwin Williams Women’s Premier League two-way semi-final match against Waterhouse in a double-header fixture at Spanish Town Prison Oval, on Saturday.

In the highlight of the evening’s games, Group B winners GC Foster and Group A’s runners-up Harbour View played to a keenly contested 0-0 draw.

Playing the opening game, the defending champions owed their victory to a double strike from Shantel Bailey in the 22nd and 38th minutes.

Former Barbican long-standing player Tanisha Reid replied for Waterhouse on the stroke of half-time and blemished the clean record of her former club by registering the first goal of the season against them in competition in the Women’s League.

Reid’s goal was the third for the season against Barbican, including the knockout section where they conceded two goals while beating Harbour View 3-2 in the final of the Colourscape KO.

Not leaving anything to chance against a Waterhouse team that also finished on 20 points along with Group B winners G C Foster, Barbican went on the attack from the opening whistle but had to wait until the 22nd minute against a stubborn Waterhouse, before taking the lead through an alert Bailey.

Coming more into the game after falling behind, Waterhouse created a few half chances but it was Barbican who looked more composed in front of goal and with another seven minutes remaining before the break, the pugnacious-looking Bailey stepped forward to score her second after the Waterhouse defence was caught on the wrong foot and left a clear opening.

With a two-goal cushion Barbican must have thought that their opponents would have surrendered, but nothing of the sort. The fight was still on and one of several late raids on the champions’ goal by a wounded Waterhouse saw Reid running on to an errant ball in a dangerous area and striking a vicious right-footed shot, close to the right upright.

In the end it was not enough as their industry of the second half failed to produce the desired result.