In a dramatic return to his former club, veteran coach Lenworth Hyde guided Harbour View FC through an emotionally charged 2-2 draw against Tivoli Gardens FC, marking his first game back since rejoining the struggling Jamaican Premier League side. The match at Harbour View Stadium on Sunday was overshadowed by a serious head injury to defender Gavin Burton, who was stretchered off unconscious but later regained consciousness at Kingston Public Hospital.
The game featured two remarkable comebacks from Harbour View, including a 98th-minute equalizer from Oquasso Chong that canceled out Nickalia Fuller’s stoppage-time first-half goal. Roshawn Oldfield had previously leveled the score in the 20th minute after Fuller’s 13th-minute opener.
Hyde, affectionately known as ‘Teacha,’ expressed profound satisfaction with his team’s resilience despite the concerning injury incident. ‘We showed some desire, we showed the right character that is needed in a game like this,’ Hyde told the Jamaica Observer. ‘I love what I saw and we only can get better.’
The veteran coach returns to Harbour View after previously leading them to the 2007 title before departing in 2008. His return marks the third coaching change this season for the club, which currently sits 13th in the standings with just 16 points from 19 matches. Hyde replaces Vassell Reynolds, who resigned last week, and Byjeon Thomas, who was dismissed in November.
Despite the team’s precarious position in the relegation zone, Hyde remains optimistic about their title prospects. ‘From where we are climbing up the ladder, we can get in the top six — and from where you reach the top six you can win the title,’ he asserted, while emphasizing a game-by-game approach to improvement.
Tivoli Gardens coach Jerome Waite expressed disappointment in his team’s inability to secure all three points, particularly criticizing his goalkeeper’s error that led to the late equalizer. ‘These are valuable points that we’ve dropped again,’ Waite lamented, adding that his team needs players ‘who really want to play.’