Harbour View's Andre Steele (left) possesses the ball while Tivoli Gardens' Damion Gordon reacts during the Digicel Premier League football match at Edward Seaga Sports Complex yesterday. Steele scored as Harbour View won 1-0. - Ian Allen/Photographer

League leaders Harbour View defended their position atop the Digicel Premier League with a workmanlike 1-0 victory over main rivals Tivoli Gardens in an exciting contest at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex yesterday evening.

Both teams started brightly as they looked to dominate the early exchanges with the hosts looking more menacing when in attack.

With the spectators still streaming into the venue, Tivoli's pint-size striker Keammar Daley forced goalkeeper Dwayne Miller into an early save; the lanky custodian diving low to his right to stop the striker's fifth-minute volley from the top of the penalty box.

Slick passing

That seemed to have stung the east Kingston team into action as they began to express themselves with their distinctive slick-passing game.

The constant probing paid off for Harbour View in the 17th minute when midfielder Andre Steele expertly rounded his marker with his first touch before comfortably curling his shot in the top left-hand corner beyond goalkeeper Julian McLeish.

Tivoli Gardens tried in earnest to find a quick response but marksman Navion Boyd was uncharacteristically erratic with his efforts, missing several chances to pull his team level. The most glaring was a 42nd minute miskick when the national representative failed to make contact with the ball in an attempted volley inside the box, with the goal at his mercy.

Tivoli started the second half with more purpose and enjoyed the lion's share of possession, but could not breach the Harbour View defence, which was being marshalled by the powerfully built Dicoy Williams.

It was, however, the visitors who had the first real chance of the half but Ranique Muir, after being played through by pass-master Jermaine Hue at the 64th minute, saw his strike parried wide by McLeish.

The two combined minutes later with the same result before Hue saw his 75th-minute left-footed strike tease the right post on its way out for a goal kick.

Winning coach Donovan Hayles hailed his team's discipline, especially in their defensive duties, as they extended their tally to 39 points, four ahead of second-place Tivoli.

Always confident

Said Hayles: "I must give credit to Tivoli, they dominated in terms of possession of the ball but I think we played well on the counter. The strategy was to score first and I was always confident that we could have done it defensive-wise. All season we have been defending well and tonight was no less."

Tivoli's coach, Lenworth Hyde Sr, was not satisfied with his team's offensive exploits and rued their missed chances.

"I don't think we created enough chances and that's why they won the game. I think they played well and defended their one-goal advantage and when you are playing against Harbour View, when you get your chances, you must put them away and I think we paid for that today," said Hyde.

Tivoli Gardens 0

Harbour View 1

André Steele 17th