BT, Arnett seek crucial wins
The hunt for the two spots by five teams in the Red Stripe Premier League First End-of-Round final will be on in earnest today with the penultimate set of matches in the round.
With leaders Harbour View, on 19 points, inactive until tomorrow night against fourth-placed Sporting Central (16 points), both second- and third-placed teams Boys’ Town and Arnett Gardens, on 18 and 17, respectively, have the chance of going atop.
Boys’ Town will travel to eighth-placed Savannah FC, on 11 points, while Arnett Gardens are away to 10th-placed Montego Bay United, on nine.
The other team in with a chance is fifth-placed Portmore United, on 16 points, and they will also play away to bottom team Highgate United, on five points.
Both Harbour View and Boys’ Town have their destiny in their own hands and the Red Brigade could not have asked for an easier opponent in Savannah FC as their final game will be against champions Portmore next week.
However, the Andrew Price-coached Boys’ Town have not produced the results on the road and have lost three of their four such matches, setting the stage for a possible upset.
But with an eye on the final, Boys’ Town should not slip up today, and once again, the league’s leading goalscorer Rafeik Thomas, Romeo Parkes, Michael Campbell, Daemion Benjamin, Marvin Morgan and super substitute Khalil Johnson are expected to secure a win for the Reds.
But despite Boys’ Town’s poor away record, their hosts, Savannah, have not done too well at home either, losing three of their four such matches.
The likes of Gavine Barrett, Linval Wilson, Shane Anderson, Shamar Bernard, Fabian Samuel, Cavel Blake, Omar Stewart, Davion Thorpe, Owen Cunningham and Triston Sommerville will, therefore, have to step up for a positive result.
Arnett Gardens will have their hands full containing home team Montego Bay United in their clash at Catherine Hall.
Arnett started out well, but have dropped crucial points against teams not doing too well, and coach Paul “Tegat’ Davis will have his work cut out keeping his talented bunch focused.
Montego Bay United are also a talented bunch deserving to be higher in the league and despite being seven points behind Arnett Gardens, the game will be a close one.
Meanwhile, defending champions Portmore are in the cat bird’s seat, just three points adrift of the leaders, and are fancied to secure maximum points against bottom-placed Highgate United. They could also assume leadership after today.
Clarendon-based Humble Lion, down in sixth spot with 13 points, have a very slim outside chance of reaching the final, but must beat a Cavalier team down in the relegation zone on nine points and 11th spot.
The clash between former champion Tivoli Gardens, in seventh place with 11 points, and 10th-placed Waterhouse, on nine, should be an intriguing and bruising one.
Despite playing at home, it is left to be seen whether or not Tivoli can cope with the hard-running and very physical game of the Drewsland-based Waterhouse.
Today’s games
3:00 pm Highgate vs Portmore @ Drax Hall
3:00 pm Humble Lion vs Cavalier @ Effortville
3:00 pm Savannah vs Boys’ Town @ Frome
KLAS SPORT FM 89 RADIO GAME
5:00 pm Tivoli vs Waterhouse @ Seaga Complex
6:30 pm Montego Bay vs Arnett @ Catherine Hall
MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012 CVM TV GAME
9:00 pm Harbour View vs SCA @ Harbour View