Hyde era begins at Effortville
Despite sitting at the bottom of the Digicel Premier League (DPL) after six rounds, new head coach of Humble Lion, Lenworth Hyde Snr, believes he can win the league and it must start with a win against Benfica today.
Humble Lion are rooted to the bottom of the DPL with one point after losing four of their five games and should record that morale-boosting first win at their Effortville Community Centre home.
“I’m very confident that with the calibre of players I see here we can win the league and that is what I have to instil in them because they have to believe that they can do it,” said Hyde with his team 12 points behind the leaders with a game in hand against Tivoli Gardens.
A new coach brings new vibes and the Clarendon team should come out with enough energy to secure their first win of the campaign and kick-start the Hyde era.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, joint leaders Portmore United and Waterhouse will be aiming to maintain their leads atop of the DPL with wins over Arnett Gardens and Boys’ Town, respectively.
Both Portmore United and Waterhouse, who have identical records with 13 points, nine goals for and five against, will find the Trench Town teams difficult prepositions today.
Fourth-placed Boys’ Town (10 points) after making a good start to the season, were brought down to earth, crashing 1-5 to Harbour View on Wednesday, a result which might not augur well for Waterhouse.
The Andrew Price-coached Boys’ Town will be keen to get that performance behind them and a good showing could be in store, hence Waterhouse could feel the backlash.
But based on last season’s form, Waterhouse, who won three of their four outings, should feel confident of notching another win.
Portmore United after disappointing last season, are back where they belong, challenging for the title but cannot put a foot wrong against a dangerous, under-performing Arnett Gardens, lying in eighth spot on eight points.
In arguably the biggest clash of the round, champions Harbour View, lying third on 10 points, meet last season’s runners-up Tivoli Gardens, one point behind in fifth spot.
Harbour View turned in arguably the performance of the season, thrashing Boys’ Town 5-1 behind a splendid performance from midfield maestro Jermaine Hue.
Hue scored twice and was involved in two other goals and Tivoli Gardens cannot afford to allow him space and time.
That task of closing Hue down will fall to none other than his younger brother Kevin Blackford, who had a very good game against Waterhouse on Wednesday.
The Edward Seaga Sports Complex should be buzzing with excitement from the word go in an encounter that can go either way.
Sixth-placed Reno (eight points) and 11th-placed St Georges (four points) should provide another intriguing contest at Frome.
Dubbed the ‘Arsenal of Jamaica’ by coach Donovan Duckie, ninth-placed Sporting Central Academy (seven points), will have to be at their best to get maximum away points from a Village United team sitting just one point behind them in 10th spot.