Arnett Gardens vs Cavalier contest to highlight today’s JPL
With win number one now under their belt, Dunbeholden FC and former champions Arnett Gardens will be gunning for a second-consecutive win when they tackle Harbour View FC and Cavalier FC, respectively, to kick off match week four of the truncated Jamaica Premier League (JPL) season, powered by Digicel.
Ninth-placed Dunbeholden, on three points, and second-placed Harbour View (five points) will square off in the 3:30 pm feature contest, after eighth-placed Arnett Gardens (three points) and fifth-placed Cavalier (four points) lock horns in the 1:00 pm curtain-raiser at the University of the West Indies (UWI)-JFF/Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence today.
Following consecutive 0-2 losses to Portmore United and Waterhouse, respectively, Dunbeholden were left staring down the barrel, seeing that their third contest was against Cavalier, who were enjoying an unbeaten run in the top half of the standing.
However, the departure of Curtis Hamilton saw Harold Thomas taking up the mantle and he seemingly brought a change of fortune, as his first assignment was a 1-0 result over Cavalier.
The presence of Harbour View represents another unbeaten scalp for Dunbeholden to take, but the St Catherine-based team will require more composure in the attacking third, as they will find their defensively sound opponents giving very little away.
They will be looking to Rondee Smith, Shevan James and Nickoy Christian, among others, to deliver another good performance.
Harbour View on the other hand will be aiming to maintain their unbeaten run, especially since they gathered some much needed momentum in a 2-0 win over the highly thought of Mount Pleasant FA on last.
Prior to that win Harbour View only mustered two 1-1 stalemates with Waterhouse and Cavalier, respectively, but Head Coach Ludlow Bernard has seemingly found the winning formula with their attacking prowess now coming to the fore.
The very hot Oquassa Chong, who was last week’s ‘Star Balla’ having logged three goals and one assist to date, will again be expected to lead the charge, along with Lennox Russell and the experienced Lovell Palmer.
Before that though, former champions Arnett Gardens, who came from behind to edge the hapless Humble Lions 2-1 on last, will seek to inflict more pain on Cavalier.
It is no secret that Arnett Gardens possess some live-wire talent in the likes of Jonoy Cunningham, Renaldo Cephas, Donovan Segree and Shadane Lopez, among others, and after being outplayed by neighbours Tivoli Gardens in their opening fixture, they demonstrated that class against the struggling Humble Lions.
Repeating against Cavalier will by no means be easy, but the task is not beyond Alex Thomas’ side.
Rudolph Speid and his youthful and exciting Cavalier unit could also bounce back to winning ways provided the execution of Bryan English, Shaniel Thomas and company is on point in the final third.
On Sunday, cellar dwellers Humble Lions, who have lost all three games so far, will be hoping to finally get on the board when they take on Vere United in what should be an exciting Clarendon derby at 1:00 pm.
Fitness has been the main worry for Andrew Price’s Humble Lions, but the tactician will be hoping the players can get it right on this occasion, while Donovan Dukie’s Vere United, who are fifth on five points, will want to extend their unbeaten run.
The 3:30 pm feature will see seventh-placed Mount Pleasant FA (four points) seeking to regain some momentum, following the loss to Harbour View which seemingly resulted in the departure of Paul “Tegat” Davis and his technical team. They will tackle 10th-placed Molynes United (one point), who are still yet to really find their footing in the shortened season.
Meanwhile, Monday’s lone contest will see leaders Portmore United (six points), the only team to win two games thus far, hunting a third at the expense of sixth-placed Tivoli Gardens (four points). That mouth-watering encounter is scheduled for 3:30 pm.
Today’s games
1:00 pm: Arnett Gardens vs Cavalier FC
3:30 pm: Harbour View vs Dunbeholden FC
Tomorrow’s games
1:00 pm: Humble Lion FC vs Vere United FC
3:30 pm: Molynes United vs Mount Pleasant FA
Monday’s game
3:30 pm: Tivoli Gardens vs Portmore United
*All games will be played at the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence