Waterhouse Miss Out On Vital Points

Nodley Wright, Gleaner Writer

Waterhouse on Monday night missed an excellent opportunity to move into fourth position in the Red Stripe Premier League.

Playing at home, the former champions missed a bag full of chances against bottom-place team Highgate United as both ended goalless in a sometimes dull affair.

With the one point earned from the draw, Waterhouse moved into seventh position on 16 points, 10 adrift leaders Harbour View. St Mary's Highgate improved their points count to six and closed the gap to five points on second-from-bottom Savannah FC of Westmoreland.

Waterhouse's head coach Donovan Duckie acknowledged the effort of the visitors, but felt that his team missed too many chances.

"We knew any change would bring the best out of them, especially for a television game," Duckie said of the team with which they had also drawn 0-0 in the first round.

"We played a 4-3-3 formation and got the better of them on the flanks. (André) Clennon got the better of his wing back all night long, but too many chances went a begging," Duckie correctly observed.

Clennon, however, was not the only one who was finding space down the flank as Waterhouse's left wing back Jahmeel Thompson, especially in the first half, had things his way. He constantly beat his man and sent crosses in which an unsound-looking Maurice Evans in goal could not handle. Waterhouse did nothing with these opportunities as on one occasion the club's leading scorer and last month's 'star baller', Jermaine Anderson, headed away from goal from inside the six-yard box.

The second half was no different as in the 55th minute no fewer than three players missed in quick succession from very close range.

For Highgate, former Waterhouse player Roberto Fletcher ran hard and tried his best, but he, along with teammates Severo Murphy, Donovan Davis, Jahmika Hutchinson and substitute Carlos Barrett, was restricted to shooting from distance as goalkeeper Richard McCallum was largely untroubled.

Coach pleased

Highgate's Michael Smith, who returned to the helm following Calvin Lewis' resignation, saw encouraging things in his team"s showing.

"The first priority in taking over this team was tightening up the defence, so we did not concede a lot of goals as we had been doing," outlined Smith, as he gave his players credit for a committed display.

"It was a workmanlike performance. They worked hard all-round, in defence, in the midfield and up front. We got a nice week of training despite losing the head coach and I would say that I got a positive response from them," he added.

Luck was also on Highgate's side and Smith did not deny it.

"Luck favours the brave and in football you have to have luck at times," he said.