MONTEGO BAY, St James

Granville of St James will represent the Western Confederation in the four-team Jamaica Football Federation’s National Premier League (NPL) play-offs this Sunday.

Led by a hat-trick from former national striker, Jermaine ‘Tuffy’ Anderson in Sunday’s return-leg final at the Catherine Hall sports complex, Granville overturned a first leg 1-0 deficit to beat Montpelier 3-1 on aggregate to take home the $100,000 first prize.

Granville will try to replace fellow St James team, Wadadah, in the NPL next season and will vie for one of the two promotion places against Police National of KSAFA, Sporting Central Academy of South Central Confederation and St George’s of Eastern Confederation.

Anderson, who missed a penalty at the end of the first leg, scored in the 45th, 59th and 81st minutes as the game was held up briefly during the half-time break.

A missile-throwing incident had resulted in a number of Montpelier fans running for cover and the team had threatened to walk off the field, forfeiting the game. But the game resumed following the intervention of Everton Tomlinson, chairman of the Western Confederation and other officials.

Granville’s win was a fitting end to a good season, which they dominated, winning both end-of-round finals and sailing through the three preliminary rounds unbeaten.

Anderson, who joined the team midway the season, topped the goal-scoring charts with 12 goals, including three hat-tricks – one in the first leg of the semi-finals against Sandy Bay.

Anderson, who transferred from Wadadah, where he played the past two seasons, also missed a number of games after picking up two red cards.