Dunbeholden eye top spot at expense of Arnett
WITH leaders Waterhouse FC away for Concacaf Caribbean Club Championship action, Dunbeholden FC have the opportunity to regain top spot in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) but will have to overcome their Arnett Gardens hurdle in order to do so.
The two will meet in the 3:00 pm curtain-raiser of Sunday’s double-header at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex, with Harbour View and Humble Lions set to contest the late contest at 5:15 pm.
Despite letting the lead slip last week, Dunbeholden FC on 39 points, same as Waterhouse, are in second place due to an inferior goal difference, which will matter little if they are able to take all three points today.
However, the St Catherine-based team which is currently enjoying a 10-match unbeaten run will be wary of Arnett Gardens, one of only two teams to beat them this season.
Still, given their consistent and fluent brand of football, coupled with the fact that they possess two of the league’s leading scorers in Atapharoy Bygrave and Peter McGregor, Dunbeholden should be bubbling with confidence of overturning that 2-1 defeat from their previous meeting in February.
For Arnett Gardens, who are in third on 32 points, going up against Dunbeholden not only represents an opportunity to close the gap on the top two, but also to rekindle some semblance of their early season form when they went on a 10-match unbeaten run.
The “Junglists” will no doubt have their tails high being back at home after dropping points against cellar dwellers Montego Bay United on last, but they should also be mindful that getting by Dunbeholden is no mean feat and proper execution on the day will be key if they are to again triumph.
After registering a tidy 2-0 win over Portmore United last week, sixth-place Harbour View (23 points) will be aiming to top eighth-place Humble Lions (17 points) for a second win on the trot to consolidate their hold on the final play-off spot.
But securing back-to-back wins has been an elusive feat for the “Stars of the East” this season, and the fact that their previous meeting with Humble Lions ended goalless doesn’t indicate many possibilities.
Humble Lions would have felt hard done by their 0-1 defeat to Waterhouse which snapped their four-match unbeaten run, but Andrew Price will be hoping to round his Clarendon outfit into shape to quickly resume winning ways.
Monday’s double-header at the same venue will see seventh-place Tivoli Gardens (22 points) tackling 11th-place Molynes United (14 points) in the marquee night clash, after ninth-place Portmore United (16 points) and 10th-place Vere United (15 points) lock horns in the 5:00 pm opener.
Sunday’s games
3:00 pm: Arnett Gardens vs Dunbeholden FC
5:15 pm: Harbour View vs Humble Lions
*Both games will be played at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.
Monday’s games
5:00 pm: Vere United vs Portmore United
7:30 pm: Tivoli Gardens vs Molynes United
*Both games will be played at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.
— Sherdon Cowan