Andre Fletcher came off the bench to fire a brace past Shaquan Davis and ensure a 4-1 victory for Waterhouse over Arnett Gardens in the Jamaica Premier League last Saturday.

With the game on a knife’s edge at 2-1 at half-time following goals from Shaquille Bradford and Damion Binns for Waterhouse and one from Renaldo Cephas for Arnett Gardens, Fletcher entered the fray at the start of the second half and put the game beyond doubt with two goals within three minutes of each other.

The 22-year-old who replaced the injured Bradford, scored from open play in the 51st minute and then from the penalty spot in the 54th minute to seal the win for his team as they moved from eighth place to third place with the result.

The two strikes helped Fletcher move his tally from three goals to five, tied with Andrew Vanzie of Humble Lion and just one behind the league-leading Oquassa Chong of Harbour View who has six goals.

The former Dinthill Technical daCosta Cup player revealed that his goal returns this season have not come by accident, but through a different approach of dedication and hard work to the game.

“I have been putting in a whole lot of work for it, both on and off the field. I’ve been putting in a whole lot of work than the previous seasons. I am trying to create a better career for myself,” he said.

And with the goals has come the desire to win the highly coveted Golden Boot.

“I’m the striker for the team, so being the striker for the team, I have to have the mindset for winning the Golden Boot,” he stated.

Fletcher said his team has taken the things that have happened so far in the season in stride, as they focus on the main objective.

“Well, it’s all in the game. We win, we lose. When we were struggling, we just got back to the drawing board and trained hard until we got it right. Now we have won two games in a row and we are back in contention for play-off football.

He admits that with two games to go in the regular season, play-off football is still not guaranteed for his club.

“No, we aren’t safe, because the league is so close and the main objective is to finish on top. So, in order to finish on top or finish in the top six, we have to keep the winning mentality.”

Fletcher will not reveal how many goals he thinks he will score in the remaining games in the regular season, but he does have a figure in mind.

“I have a target that I’m going towards this season, but I don’t wish to talk about the last two games, how much I’m going to score. When the day arrives, I just have to execute on that day.”

He, however, remains confident that his team will make the play-offs, come the end of the regular season campaign.

“Yes, I’m confident. We just have to stay focused and take it one game at a time.”

Waterhouse are currently in third place and have 13 points, but so too do fourth-placed Portmore United, fifth-placed Tivoli Gardens and sixth-placed Dunbeholden FC who are all separated by goal difference, in a league that could hardly be closer than it is.

The top two teams, Vere United and Mount Pleasant FA, are a mere point ahead of the chasing pack on 14 points.