Much like they ended 2022 unbeaten and on a high, leaders Mount Pleasant Football Academy will be hoping to start the new year like they ended the last when they take on fifth-placed Montego Bay United at Drax Hall Sports Complex in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) on Sunday.

The 3:15 pm contest, the feature of a double-header scheduled, holds mouth-watering prospects as Mount Pleasant, on 17 points, are hunting a fifth win on the trot to add to their five wins and two draws so far under Head Coach Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore.

But Montego Bay United have enjoyed a fairly positive start so far with three wins, three draws, and a solitary loss in seven games.

Though their last two outings ended as goalless and 1-1 stalemates against lowly Vere United and Chapelton Maroons respectively, Head Coach Donovan Duckie would not be too perturbed and will be backing his charges to come good on this occasion as part of their new year celebrations.

Prior to that, at 1:00 pm, ninth-placed Waterhouse (seven points), who are off to a rather unusually sluggish start with just two wins in seven games, are favoured to start the year on a winning note as they face the winless Faulkland FC, rooted at the foot of the 14-team standings on a point.

In a 3:00 pm Clarendon derby at Wembley Centre of Excellence, Andrew Price’s Humble Lion, in fourth on 13 points, seem poised to continue the winning momentum with which they ended 2022. They could secure a fourth win on the trot against 13th-placed neighbours Vere United (four points), who are the other winless team so far this season.

Third-placed Cavalier FC (13 points) will also start favourites in their 3:00 pm curtain-raiser against 11th-placed Tivoli Gardens (six points) at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.

Unlike Rudolph Speid’s side, which is sitting pretty in striking distance of the leader, Tivoli Gardens are among those teams struggling for early form. However, as is often said, it’s not how you start the season but how you finish that really matters, and Tivoli will be hoping to make today’s contest count as the start of their resurgence.

The same is true for 10th-placed Chapelton Maroons (seven points), who will oppose seventh-placed Arnett Gardens (11 points) in the 5:00 pm feature at the same venue.

Chapelton, have, for the first time since their promotion, gone unbeaten in consecutive fixtures, but if not grounded and on top of their game, the Lenworth Hyde-conditioned team could be brought back to reality by Paul “Tegat” Davis’s Arnett Gardens outfit that packs some degree of firepower.

Meanwhile, the other two unbeaten teams, champions Harbour View in second on 15 points and sixth-placed Portmore United (11 points) are set to do battle in the 7:30 pm feature of Monday’s double-header, also at Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.

Last season’s beaten finalist Dunbeholden is eighth on nine points, and 12th-placed Molynes United (six points) will open the show at 5:00pm.

— Sherdon Cowan

SUNDAY’S GAMES

1:00 pm — Waterhouse vs Faulkland FC @ Drax Hall Sports Complex

3:00 pm — Vere United vs Humble Lion @ Wembley Centre of Excellence

3:00 pm — Cavalier vs Tivoli Gardens @ Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex

3:15 pm — Mount Pleasant FA vs Montego Bay United @ Drax Hall Sports Complex

5:30 pm — Chapelton Maroons vs Arnett Gardens @ Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex

MONDAY’S GAMES

5:00 pm — Dunbeholden FC vs Molynes United @ Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex

7:30 pm — Portmore United vs Harbour View @ Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex