Even the most ardent Dunbeholden Football Club fans would have had their faith tested after four matches in this season’s Jamaica Premier League.

Three points and three losses from the first four games of the season saw the St Catherine-based team propping up the league and with only the slimmest of chances of advancing to the play-offs.

Three losses by 2-0 to Portmore United, Waterhouse FC and Harbour View and just one 1-0 win over Cavalier FC had all but left their season in tatters.

Since then, the team coached by Harold Thomas, who took over after the second game of the season, has had a reversal in fortune and are now occupying the final play-off spot with two match weeks to go. This on the back of three wins and a draw and the accumulation of 10 invaluable points from their last four games.

They are now level on points with Waterhouse, Portmore and Tivoli Gardens, all of whom they trail, merely on goal difference.

Their come-from-behind 2-1 win over Cavalier last weekend is what has propelled them into play-off contention, but Thomas refuses to put down their current position to just one game.

“Our current position is not down to just one game. Yes, the result against Cavalier was a very important one for us, but our current position is as a cumulative thing, each win is equally important,” he insisted.

With the next two games set to define their season, Thomas is viewing them both as finals.

“It’s very tight, points-wise, so we have to play every game like it’s a final. These two games will determine if we make the play-offs or play for a spot in the bottom five, at the end of the regular season.”

Dunbeholden has the best form of all the teams over the last four games but that alone will not cause their coach to lose his focus.

“The team has been improving steadily, but there is a tremendous amount of work yet to be done, so we continue to work and ask for God’s guidance,” Thomas stated.

He admits that having dug themselves out of the huge early-season hole, not making the play-offs from here would be a huge disappointment.

“This is a competition and disappointments are many, but that would be a big one.”

Dunbeholden could make a decisive step towards securing their play-off spot with a win over the virtually out of contention Arnett Gardens this weekend.

“Yes, a win in the upcoming game will move us to 16 points and will move us closer, depending on the other results,” Thomas admits.

Dunbeholden will end their regular season with a massive game against Mount Pleasant FA.

—Dwayne Richards