CLARENDON’S Humble Lion, who sit fourth in the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) with one game to go, have all but ended what would be considered a successful season — their highest finish in three years in the top flight — for a team fairly new to the league.

This achievement was accomplished on the road, with the Lenworth Hyde-coached side boasting the best away record in the competition.

However, apart from the two relegated teams — Village and Reno FC — Humble Lion have the worse home record in the league this season.

The Lions have played 37 games so far, contesting 18 at home and 19 games on the road. On their travels, they have garnered 35 points, scored an incredible 10 wins (two better than leaders Portmore and Boys’ Town), with five draws and four defeats.

At their Effortville home base, however, they have grabbed just 22 points’ tasted victory in front their demanding fans only five times; with seven draws and six defeats.

Coach Lenworth Hyde believes this consistent failure to win at home is more of a mental situation. He says it is something they are working on for next season.

“We can’t seem to win at home and I don’t know why… but we just have to play our way out of it and try to take it off our minds,” he told the Jamaica Observer after their 1-0 defeat against Harbour View on Sunday.

“… I really think it’s a mental thing more than anything else,” he added, “because we have played on worse surfaces than… at home, so the surface is not a problem,” he said.

Hyde also refuted the idea that the club’s demanding spectators make the players nervous when playing at home

“Some people are saying that it’s the spectators, but we always have our spectators, even when we are not winning, so we just need to get it off our minds and play football, whenever the times comes and regardless of where you play,” he said.

“We want to improve on this next season because winning at home will be important if we’re to really challenge for the title…,” he said.