KINGSTON, Jamaica — It took a 70th minute screamer of a free kick from veteran Lovel Palmer to help Harbour View FC secure a 1-0 win over Arnett Gardens and a spot in the playoffs of the Jamaica Premier League this afternoon.

Harbour View began the day in eight place, two spots outside the playoffs and needed results to go their way in addition to winning the encounter against Arnett Gardens to advance.

Both Portmore United and Dunbeholden lost their games earlier in the day which meant all Harbour View needed to leapfrog those two teams and into sixth place was win.

After spurning a few early chances, Harbour View could count themselves lucky not to go into the half time break trailing after Arnett Gardens saw three efforts in succession cleared off the line by defenders in a matter of seconds.

With the minutes ticking away and Arnett continuing to apply the pressure, it appeared that the chances of qualification were slipping away until an inspired substitution from Ludlow Bernard became the key moment in the game.

Palmer was brought into the game in the 64th minute and found the go-ahead goal from a free kick six minutes later as he blasted the ball through the wall and into the back of the net from the edge of the area.

There are two matches left to play to end the regular season but the results of those games will have no bearing on the “Stars of the East” who can now breathe easy as they await the draw for the quarter-final round.

Dwayne Richards