MoBay host Waterhouse in tantalising matchup
Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) title-holders Montego Bay United will host last season’s beaten finalists Waterhouse FC at the Wespow Park in St James in one of several fascinating match-ups today.
The game is scheduled to begin at 3:30 pm.
Montego Bay, in third place on 48 points from 28 matches, have quietly remained in the top-four position without being particularly brilliant so far. In their previous outing they were held 1-1 by lowly Sporting Central FC, but three wins and two draws in their last five matches suggest a team in decent form.
Waterhouse, who were easily the most outstanding side throughout the early stages of the campaign, have cooled off somewhat and are second in the 12-team standings with 50 points. After recording three straight wins, they were stung in a 1-2 loss to cellar team Barbican FC last time out and should be anxious to bounce back to winning ways.
The fact that today’s opponents are Montego Bay, the team which trounced them in last year’s championship match, is added incentive. However, regardless of the result, both teams are well positioned to progress to the semi-finals with only four sets of matches remaining in the preliminary stage.
In another enticing fixture, Trench Town rivals Arnett Gardens FC and home team Boys’ Town FC will battle at the Collie Smith Sports Complex, starting at 3:30 pm.
Arnett Gardens, comfortable preliminary stage leaders with 56 points, have already secured their place in the semi-finals.
Boys’ Town, in ninth place on 33 points, have been unbeaten in their last five matches, a run which has seen them gradually pull away from relegation danger.
Despite the huge gap between the teams in the RSPL standings, the nature of derby clashes suggests it could be a tightly fought encounter.
Also at 3:30 pm, former champions Reno FC and Harbour View FC lock horns at the Frome Sports Complex in Westmoreland.
The 11th-placed Reno outfit is lingering in one of two relegation spots with 27 points, while Harbour View, hopeful of squeezing into the semi-final, are fifth with 40 points.
Over at the Barbican Complex in St Andrew, Barbican FC (24 points) welcome seventh-placed Cavalier SC (37 points) at 3:30 in the afternoon.
In a game to begin at 4:00 pm, eighth-placed Rivoli United (37 points) entertain sixth-placed Tivoli Gardens FC at the Spanish Town Prison Oval in St Catherine. An exciting affair is expected between the teams who both have outside chances of reaching the last-four phase of the competition.
The Clarendon derby will take centre stage in tomorrow’s live televised RSPL Monday Night fixture where hosts Humble Lion FC take on Sporting Central at the Effortville Community Centre.
Humble Lion are in the fourth and final semi-final spot with 45 points, while Sporting Central, fighting to remain in the nation’s top flight football competition, are 10th with 31 points.
The game is set to commence at 8:30 pm.
Today’s matches
3:30 pm — Barbican vs Cavalier @ Barbican Complex
3:30 pm — Boys’ Town vs Arnett Gardens @ Collie Smith Complex
3:30 pm — Montego Bay vs Waterhouse @ Wespow Park
3:30 pm — Reno vs Harbour View @ Frome Complex
4:00 pm — Rivoli vs Tivoli Gardens @ Prison Oval
Tomorrow’s game
8:30 pm — Humble Lion vs Sporting Central @ Effortville Community Centre