Arnett look to reel in Mount Pleasant in JPL
FORMER champions Arnett Gardens FC host title holders Mount Pleasant FA, knowing that a win could cut their lead down to one point in the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League on Wednesday.
The game is set to kick off 7:00 pm at Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.
The earlier kick-off sees Molynes United, who are 13th in the table, face 10th-place Montego Bay United (MBU). Both teams are coming off losses, with Molynes going down 0-1 to Tivoli and MBU 1-2 to Dunbeholden last Sunday. They kick off at 5:00 pm.
Mount Pleasant, after 10 games, lead the table with 10 points while Arnett are second on 18 after nine matches.
Arnett had a 2-0 win in their last game, against Humble Lions at Effortville in Clarendon last Sunday.
Although Arnett picked up the win their goals came deep in the second half, and Head Coach Xavier Gilbert will be hoping they create more chances early on against Mount Pleasant. But Gilbert said after that game that it was the team’s fitness and endurance that brought them the win. It will be tested in this encounter as the team will have had 10 days off since last playing and will have to remain disciplined with their diet and conditioning on Christmas Day and Boxing Day before the game.
Mount Pleasant made amends for their surprising 2-0 loss to Vere United, also last Sunday, with a 2-0 win over Treasure Beach on Thursday. It was a much-needed win for Theodore Whitmore’s side, who had only taken one point in three games prior and they will be hoping that it signals a corner turned.
Marlon Allen will be hoping for another big performance against Arnett, having scored in the last game, while Arnett will also be paying close attention to Atapharoy Bygrave who can always create havoc with his physicality. He too scored in the previous game. But Arnett will also have to pay attention to Kimoni Bailey, who has scored four goals so far this season, much like Arnett talisman Kimani Arbouine.
Tivoli Gardens are in a similar position to their arch-rivals, Arnett. They are third in the table but also on 18 points after drawing 1-1 with Cavalier on Thursday.
They take on 11th-placed Harbour View knowing another win could also put them within a point of Mount Pleasant if the “Junglists” win as well, and thus make the race at the top of the table even more compelling.
This match kicks off at Ashenheim Stadium at 5:00 pm.
The earlier game in the Ashenheim double-header kicks off at 3:00 pm and sees fifth-place Waterhouse facing seventh-place Dunbeholden.
Three more matches take place at 3:00 pm, with Cavalier (eighth) meeting Treasure Beach (12th) at Sabina Park, Vere (sixth) meeting Portmore United (fourth) at Wembley Centre of Excellence, and Humble Lions (ninth) travelling to Drax Hall to face last-place Lime Hall Academy.