Defending champions Cavalier SC and Boys’ Town FC advanced to the final of the Alliance MoneyGram/KSAFA Under-17 football competition after registering high-scoring wins over Harbour View and Central Kingston FC, respectively, at the Excelsior High School grounds on Saturday.

In the opening encounter Boys’ Town came from behind to beat Central Kingston 4-3. Afterwards, in the feature match, Cavalier also came from behind twice to get the better of Harbour View in a very entertaining afternoon for the fans.

Jaheim Brown put Central Kingston ahead after 15 minutes when he dribbled past two defenders and fired home from just inside the penalty box, but Donald Walters responded for Boys’ Town when he scored directly from an Omar Reid corner kick to leave the game tied at 1-1 at half-time.

Four minutes after the restart Boys’ Town went ahead when the wily Reid beat a defender inside the box before delivering a delicate chip to Ronaldo Edwards, and the tall, slim midfielder hammered home to make it 2-1.

Romario Willis restored parity for Central Kingston at 2-2 in the 50th minute, slotting into an empty goal after the Boys’ Town goalkeeper had inexplicably rushed off his line.

Reid, who had a hand in the first two Boys’ Town goals, scored the third himself, evading a Central Kingston defender inside the box before firing home a left-footed thunderbolt to make it 3-2 in the 66th minute.

The left-winger could not be kept out of the action and combined with his namesake, Steve Reid, who met his corner kick on the volley for the best goal of the game to make it 4-2 in the 72nd minute.

Omar Willis got his second goal of the game when he scored from the penalty spot to make it 4-3 in the third minute of stoppage time, but it was to be the last meaningful kick of the contest.

Cavalier seemed to be suffering from jetlag in their game, following their recent European exploits, when they conceded after just six minutes against Harbour View. Orville Smikle failed to hold on to what seemed a fairly routine free kick and midfielder Garth Stewart was able to convert the rebound with a simple tap-in from close range to make it 1-0.

Shaniel Thomas had a chance to pull Cavalier level shortly after, but an alert Denzil Smith was alive to the danger and saved well at his near post.

The tricky Dwayne Atkinson was the architect of the Cavalier equaliser when his dazzling skills took him past a defender before he crossed into the box. The first, short on target, was blocked. but Alex Johnson was able to find the back of the net from a melee.

Thomas had another chance to score, this time to give his team the lead, but his header went just wide.

The “Stars of the East” then had their noses in front on the stroke of half-time when Oquasso Chung blasted home a free kick from 19 yards to give his team their second lead of the game.

Cavalier are the defending champions for a reason, and they showed just why five minutes after the restart. an alert Javaughn Cole steered home from six yards beyond the advancing Smith while the Harbour View backline stood and appealed for offside.

Atkinson put Cavalier ahead for the first time in the game when he sped into the box and slotted home between the legs of Smith as Harbour View suffered two big blows within three minutes of each other.

Atkinson’s strike would prove to be the winning goal as they get a chance to defend their title on Saturday at the same venue, starting at 4:00 pm.