After watching his team continue its unbeaten run in the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League (JPL) on Sunday, Cavalier FC Head Coach Rudolph Speid believes the group is well placed to achieve its objectives this season.

The defending champions were comfortable 2-0 winners against 10-man Waterhouse at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex, thanks to goals from Jalmaro Calvin and Dwayne Atkinson. Similar to the last campaign, Cavalier started the season balancing the JPL and the Concacaf Caribbean Cup.

Back then they only managed two draws and a loss in their opening four games, leaving them in the bottom half of the table.

This time around, they’re top of the table with seven points and Speid says he’s proud of his team’s growth.

“I came with 17 soldiers, 17 people who can fight; I didn’t need any more. I only used 15 so I’m not really worried,” he said.

“It’s a good result. Last year, around this time, we were 10th, or something like that, in the league. After playing in the Caribbean Cup, we were struggling in the Premier League, but this is a good feeling. It keeps us on top, so we’re right where we want to be.”

Despite playing over an hour with a one-man advantage after Waterhouse goalkeeper and Captain Kemar Foster was sent off, Speid says his team did enough to manage the game.

“It was always going to be a tough game, so we just tried to make it as hard as possible for our opponents and I suppose we got the edge in the end,” he said.

“We were already leading, in fairness, and of course, Foster is one of the best keepers in the business, so it would have helped to ease the pressure off us so we could coast through.”

Although pleased with aspects of the performance, Waterhouse Head Coach Marcel Gayle says his team will have to make some adjustments going forward.

“In the second half, we defended stoutly. I just thought we could be a little bit more discipline and patient in the first half, I thought we [were] rushing it. Cavalier is a seasoned campaign team, two months ahead of us in preparation and doing good in Concacaf. We should have shown them a little bit more respect, but we learnt our lesson,” said Gayle.

“It was nerves. It’s the second game of the season, we have room to improve on that and we hope we can go back to the drawing board and get better,” he said.

SUNDAY’S RESULTS

Waterhouse 0, Cavalier 2

Harbour View 2, Molynes 1

Vere Phoenix 1, Humble Lion 1

MONDAY’S GAMES

5:00 pm — Chapelton vs Montego Bay @Anthony Spaulding Complex

7:30 pm — Portmore vs Tivoli Gardens @Anthony Spaulding Complex

Dwayne Atkinson of Cavalier celebrates after scoring the team’s second goal against Waterhouse on Sunday.