In one promising Jamaican attack speedy striker Tramaine Stewart threatened to get in behind the New Zealand defence only to be undone by Nelsen who calmly moved back in cover.
At the other end Chris Wood, handed the responsibility of leading the All Whites attack and pushing high on his markers, too often found his path cut off by the central defensive pairing of Notts County's Damian Stewart and Claude Davis from English League Two club Crawley Town.
There was no lack of action but at times Tahitian referee Norbert Hauata struggled to keep, up no more so when the home side had what appeared a decent shout for an early penalty.
Using Jeremy Brockie, on the right, and Tony Lochhead as their attacking width, the All Whites showed out on attack only to have their good work either snuffed out by the Jamaican defence or wasted by often wayward final passes.
Stewart had the first clear scoring chance when Kosta Barbarouses surrendered possession in midfield.
The ball ran to Omar Cummings who fed Stewart who hit a first-time shot which surprised goalkeeper Mark Paston who pushed the long range effort over for a corner.
He was not so lucky 10 minutes from the break when the Jamaicans counter-attacked on the right, found Xavian Virgo pushing forward.
Out of nothing he hit a sweet dipping shot from outside the penalty area which dipped under Paston's bar and into the far corner of the goal.
An errant jolt ended Winston Reid's night just before halftime giving Ben Sigmund his chance to join Nelsen and Tommy Smith in the three-pronged rearguard.
Just seven minutes into the second half the Reggae Boyz doubled their lead when the New Zealand defence were slow to react as Stewart charged through and sweetly angled the ball into the All Whites goal.
The gap was back to one within two minutes when Michael McGlinchey picked out Marco Rojas on the edge of the penalty area where he played a clever one-two with Wood who wasted no time in firing the ball into Jamaican goal.
Encouraged by that and in making good use of fresh legs as Herbert went his bench, the All Whites picked up their game to create half chances for Tommy Smith, Dan Keat on debut and Tim Brown.
In most, Rojas was a factor but he was called in after 73 minutes. Within a tick or two, from an All Whites right wing corner sent over by Bertos, the Jamaicans broke away, found themselves in a two-on-two situation and watched in delight as substitute Navian Boyd snapped a shot past the hapless Paston.
There was a late sting in the Kiwi tail when Chris Killen headed home a Bertos right wing corner but it was too little too late and the visitors, with the assistance of plenty of time-wasting held on.
