It’s a tale of two cities. Not quite the Charles Dickens novel, but a true reflection of two teams in the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League — Cavalier FC and Vere United — on different missions.

While Cavalier of St Andrew easily defeated Vere United of Clarendon 2-0 at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex, the coaches have different aims, one local, one overseas.

Cavalier Head Coach Rudolph Speid thought this game was a good preparation for their upcoming Concacaf Champions League match against American outfit FC Cincinnati on February 22 and 28.

Goals by Jalmaro Calvin in the 17th minute and a 37th-minute penalty from Dwayne Atkinson propelled Cavalier to victory, which saw them maintain their lead atop the premier league with 43 points.

It was their 13th win from 19 games and well on their way to securing a top six play-off position with seven rounds of games left.

“This was too easy in the first half and in the second half, we got a lot of goals and missed them. One of our players missed about four or five,” said Speid.

He continued: “We’re just glad we kept a clean sheet again while only conceding two goals in 12 games, one being an own goal.”

“We are on a trajectory and it is something that we plan because we know that we will be up against some good attackers in the Concacaf Champions League, so we try to hone our defence,” he pointed out.

“Our focus is away from here. We just want to see what we can get from the two games against Cincinnati,” Speid added.

But while Cavalier have their eyes on an overseas assignment, Vere United are fighting to make the top six play-offs, sitting five spots and eight points adrift.

Vere United, who were suffering their 10th defeat, experienced a major setback in their slim hopes of making the top six play-offs. They slipped a spot to 11th on 19 points, but Head Coach Linval Dixon remained optimistic.

“I would say yes. It’s just that we not scoring and it is haunting us. With so many talented and good players that we have, we should be scoring,” said Dixon, a former rigid defender in his time playing for the Reggae Boyz.

“It is possible,” he reiterated. “But I don’t know if we are hungry enough. We talk about play-offs all the time and how we want it, but word of mouth doesn’t cut it for me; action on the field counts.

“I don’t think we are tough enough and what I am seeing is not showing me that we want to be in the top six,” said a frustrated Dixon.

Vere United have won just five of their 19 games, scoring 18 times but critically conceding 26 goals.

“So we have to learn and continue to learn but the problem is, we tend to learn the hard way. But such is the game. We just have to continue work and hopefully we can score some goals and win some games,” Dixon added.

Sunday’s Results

Mount Pleasant 1 – 0 Tivoli Gardens

Lime Hall 1 – 4 Dunbeholden

Portmore 1 – 0 Harbour View

Montego Bay 1 – 2 Humble Lion

Treasure Beach 2 – 2 Molynes

Waterhosue 0 – 0 Arnett Gardens

Cavalier 2 – 0 Vere