Harbour View's Kavin Bryan (centre) controls the ball between Naggo Head's Andeel Jarret (left) and Andrew Bravo in their Wray and Nephew National Premier League match at Ferdie Neita Park yesterday. The match ended 1-1 but the point was enough for Harbour View to clinch the title with three games remaining. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

Audley Boyd, Assistant Sport Editor

IT NEVER quite happened the way they had anticipated, or would have preferred - with a victory in their match yesterday afternoon against bottom-of-the-table Naggo Head at Ferdie Neita Park.

Merely three hours later, Harbour View Football Club never really mattered, having been confirmed the 2006-07 champions of the Wray and Nephew National Premier League (NPL).

With three rounds remaining, the 'Stars of the East' hold an unassailable 10-point lead with a tally of 65, after yesterday's one-all draw against Naggo Head, on 18, in a game where captain Lovel Palmer (29th) opened the scoring for Harbour View, only to see his effort cancelled at the 41st by impressive teenage midfielder Kenardo Forbes.

Portmore united at number 2

Harbour View are followed in the standings by Portmore United on 55, whose 1-1 draw in last night's late match against last year's winners Waterhouse at their Drewsland Mini Stadium ended the title race.

"I feel great, it's a great feeling," an elated Lenworth 'Teacher' Hyde Sr., who took up duties as the head coach at the start of the season at Harbour View, having coached at Portmore the previous year, told STAR Sports when contacted last night.

He added: "I'm happy for the organisation overall, especially the immediate coaching staff - Howard 'Max' Straw, Andrew 'Bower' Hines, Ann-Marie Massey, Karen Julius, the physiotherapist, and Les Peddlar, the gym instructor at Hughenden Avenue, who is the fitness trainer. All of us did it, it's not a one-man thing.

"I must big up Clyde Jureidini, Michael Jureidini, Mr. Carvel Stewart and every member of the board, the executives, for giving me the opportunity to coach the team."

Continuing, Hyde said the players deserve the biggest praise.

"I just want to big up the players, you can't leave them out, they're the ones who did it. They had the right discipline and attitude. And you can't leave out God."

Asked if he would have preferred to have initiated celebrations with an expected win over the bottom-placed debutant Naggo Head team, Hyde was affirmative.

"Yes, most definitely. That was our aim but it was tough playing on the field because we couldn't play our passing game ... but we got a lot of chances.

"I think we were a little anxious, we should have taken our time," observed Hyde, the former national midfield general who won four National League titles as a player at Tivoli Gardens and Boys' Town.

It is Harbour View's second NPL title success following their 2000 triumph.

They have had several near-misses, including last season when the team blew a 13-point lead, and Hyde Sr. says this season's immediate victory has made it even sweeter.

"It's very, very pleasing to the team and the club seeing what happened last year," he remarked, noting that he was headed to the Harbour View club where they were assembling for a celebration which, delayed or not, was all that mattered.