Bernard rues missed chances in 0-0 draw
HARBOUR VIEW coach Ludlow Bernard was a very disappointed man yesterday after seeing his team squander a number of chances during their Jamaica Premier League (JPL) match against Vere United at the Ashenheim Stadium, Jamaica College.
The game ended in a 0-0 draw, and Bernard said: “It’s really disappointing when you don’t convert some of these chances. I think we were in a position to create some moments, but the final passing in the first half wasn’t clinical. We live to create these chances, and it’s disappointing when you don’t take them. It’s not like we have an out-and-out goalscorer. I told the group, we will take goals from anywhere. It doesn’t matter who.”
Harbour View had the easiest chance of the match early in the second half when striker Omar Thompson was left with an empty net two yards out but somehow managed to make bad contact, and the chance went abegging.
Some good chances also went to Rohan Brown, Garth Stewart, and Demar Rose, however, they all failed to make use of the opportunities.
Bernard said the loss of striker Shaquile Bradford to Mount Pleasant in the current transfer window is a major blow but that he is working to have that problem solved.
‘BIG LOSS’
“He’s a big loss. You cannot discount 11 goals for the season. He had eight in the league and three in the Caribbean Championship, but we have to come up with the solution, internally or externally. We are still searching, and maybe we have one or two gems inside the group, but it’s just the experience they will be lacking,” he said.
Both teams remained as they were in the standings, with Vere sitting eighth on 19 points, while Harbour View are 11th with 16 points.
“This is one of the games we earmarked for victory. We targeted 42 points (for second round). The only saving grace is that Dunbeholden drew with Humble Lion, and we would have gotten closer to them, and that would have put us in a better position,” Bernard added.
Vere, on the other hand, were not outplayed by any stretch of the imagination and had opportunities of their own to steal all three points.
Nathaniel Howe and Kemar Beckford had the best chances for Vere, with the usually prolific Beckford shooting over from six yards in the first half and then heading a ball against the crossbar in the late stages.
“It’s a good point for us on the road,” Vere coach Linval Dixon stated. “We know Harbour View, like us, are desperate for points.
“But we are trying to push for the playoffs, and games like these you want to do well and get the maximum points, but it’s a fair result.
“There were not many scoring opportunities. Harbour View had one they should have scored, and we got one, too. But in the end, I am satisfied,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mount Pleasant reclaimed their place at the top of the standings after beating Treasure Beach 1-0. Mount Pleasant lead the table with 32 points, one more than Portmore and two ahead of Cavalier. Cavalier can retake top spot when they face Tivoli Gardens at the Anthony Spaulding Complex this evening at 5 p.m.