FIVE Premier League campaigners will be sent packing from the 2010 Flow Champions Cup as the second round of the all-island knockout competition continues today and tomorrow.

Out-of-form Waterhouse, the 2008 champions, have the toughest encounter of today’s five matches, as they entertain the red-hot August Town at Drewsland.

August Town progressed from the first round of the Champions Cup following a 2-1 victory away to Monymusk.

Waterhouse have not tasted victory in their last six outings in the premiership, with four draws and two defeats, while Jackie Bell knockout finalists August Town have won three of their last six matches.

In head-to-head battle this season, both teams are level with one win apiece. Waterhouse won the first encounter 4-1 at Drewsland, while August Town took the other 1-0 at the UWI Bowl.

Another mouth watering all premier league match-up will see reigning Flow Champions Boys’ Town playing away to Sporting Central Academy at Brancourt.

The Andrew Price-coached ‘Red Brigade’, who secured the first lien on the all-island Cup by beating Tivoli Gardens 3-0 last season, have beaten Sporting Central Academy once this season — a 2-1 result at Brancourt on November 1. Their other encounter ended in a 0-0 stalemate at Collie Smith Drive on January 6.

Former four-time all-island champions Portmore United (2000, ’03, ’05, ’07), who are at the bottom of the top flight table, could find the going tough away to Portland outfit St Georges SC at Lynch Park.

The Portlanders will enter the match-up packed with confidence having beaten the St Catherine standard-bearers twice in the premiership this season, 1-0 in November and 3-1 on January 6.

At the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex, Arnett Gardens, the 1996 beaten finalists, fresh from their 3-1 penalty victory over Star Cosmos, will be looking to make it two on the trot as they host Major League outfit Greenwich Town, who sent KSAFA champions Cavalier packing from Round One. The other match-up today will see York United YC taking on Granville FC at Bath Sports Club.

Three former Champions Cup title holders will be in action tomorrow. Former four-time winners (1994, ’98, 2001, ’02) Harbour View will play away to Rivoli United at Prison Oval, two-time victors (1999 & 2006) Tivoli Gardens travel to Effortville to square off against Humble Lions, while two-time winners Reno (95 & 96) oppose the 2004 beaten finalists Village United at Frome.

Today’s Schedule

Waterhouse vs August Town @ 5:00 pm @ Drewsland Stadium; St Georges vs Portmore United @ 5:00 pm @ Lynch Park; Arnett Gardens vs Greenwhich Town @ 6:00 pm @ Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex; York United vs Granville @ 3:00 pm @ Bath Sports Club; and Sporting Central Academy vs Boys’ Town @ 3:00 pm @ Brancourt.

Tomorrow’s Schedule

Humble Lion vs Tivoli Gardens @ 3:00 pm @ Effortville Community Centre; Rivoli United vs Harbour View @ 6:00 pm @ Prison Oval; and Reno vs Village United @ 3:00 pm @ Frome.

Player Profile:

Name: Jermaine Taylor

Date of Birth: January 14, 1985

Parish: Portland

High School: St Mary Technical High School

Club Teams: Harbour View FC, St Georges Sports Club

National Teams: National Under-20, National Under-23, National Senior

Trophies: National Premier League (2007), Lunar Cup 2007, Digicel Caribbean Cup (2009).

HAVING experienced success with the national senior team when they won the Digicel Caribbean Cup and Lunar Cup in Hong Kong in 2007, Reggae Boy Jermaine Taylor is ready to lead his St Georges Sports Club team to victory in the Flow Champions Cup all-island knockout competition in 2010.

“I would say on a scale of 10, that my team has a chance of 8 to 9 to win the Flow Champions Cup, even though we are a pretty young team in the National Premier League,” said Taylor, who captains the team.

“We not just young, but we have players with talent, who are willing to work hard and play in order for us to be successful,” he added.

The burly defender, who has presented the national team at the Under-20, Under-23 and senior levels, says winning the Flow Champions Cup would mean plenty to the supporters of the Portland team, especially after St Georges narrowly lost to Tivoli Gardens in the first end-of-round final of the national premier league.

“It would mean a lot for the parish if we can win the Flow Champions Cup. We have a very good team with some experienced players, who have plied their trade with other premier league clubs in the past and our fans support us a lot, so we’re going to do our best to bring the all-island trophy to Portland,” Taylor said.

The affable player, who helped his former club Harbour View to secure the National Premier League in 2007, says he is using his experience at the national level to help St Georges.

“Being a national comes with a lot a discipline.” Taylor shared. “I am hard working and other players look up to me, so I try to impart the knowledge I’ve gained at the national level to my team-mates because when we work as a unit it becomes easier for all of us,” he reasoned.