Sandals SC eye semi-final berth in Western Confed
GRANVILLE, St James — Sandals South Coast can secure a spot in the semi-finals of the Jamaica Football Federation Western Confederation Charley’s JB Rum Super League with a win over defending champions Granville United in their cross-zone third- round game at the Granville Community Centre on Saturday.
Sandals South Coast, which lost last year’s finals as well as the mid-season final two weeks ago, are on 31 points and have an 11-points lead over second-placed Reggae Youths.
A win on Saturday would ensure the Westmoreland outfit cannot be passed by four other teams and would ensure a return to the semi-finals for a third-straight year.
Also on Saturday, mid-season champions Reggae Youths will host a resurgent Faulkland FC at Wespow Park, while there will be four more games on Sunday.
Fourth-placed Clark’s Town FC will be away to last-placed Petersfield FC; Montego Bay Boys Club will take on Three Miles River FC; Beaches Negril will host Wadadah FC; while Holland United will host Hopewell United in a relegation zone battle.
At Granville on Saturday, the home team, which is a point above the relegation zone, will be desperate for a win, but is facing one of the best defensive teams in the competition.
Sandals South Coast appeared to have shaken off their loss in the mid-season final after edging Three Miles River to maintain their unbeaten run in the league all season.
The game at WesPow Park could be the best of the weekend between teams separated by a point, withboth eyeing a spot in the top four.
Reggae Youths were held 1-1 on Saturday by Montego Bay Boys Club, but face a Faulkland FC team that packs more firepower, and have scored 20 goals.
On paper, Reggae Youths should measure up, having scored 19 goals of their own and conceded less, losing just once, and will be led by the competition’s top scorer O’Carey Spence.
Peter-Lee Vassell has scored in Faulkland FC’s last two games and he could be the man to lead the attack again on Saturday.
On Sunday Montego Bay Boys Club and Clark’s Town will seek to keep close tabs on the teams above them in the points table and will be seeking wins over Three Miles River FC and Petersfield FC respectively.
Wadadah FC moved out of the relegation zone in the last round and will face sixth-placed Beaches Negril who are two points ahead of them in the table.