DESPITE Molynes United starting the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League season with a 0-2 defeat to Waterhouse on Sunday, head coach Jermaine Thomas believes the team has enough quality to avoid relegation for a sixth-straight year.

Molynes struggled throughout the majority of the contest at Stadium East, with goals from Mario Simms and Colorado Murray ensuring Waterhouse start the season with three points.

Thomas says his team was not sharp enough to begin the new campaign.

“We were flat and started poorly and Waterhouse capitalised and dominated the first 15, 20 minutes. We came into our own [at] the back end of the second half but we just never got it right today,” he said.

“Nevertheless it’s the first one so it’s now for us to go back, look at the tape, and see how best we can fix things going forward.”

The club finished 12th last season and avoided being relegated on the final day.

However, Thomas has a brighter outlook this season as they plan to be more competitive over the remaining 38 games.

“I think the team isn’t a bad team; we have some good youngsters but we need the cohesion. Once we get them a little bit more organised and get them playing to instructions more often, then we can be way better,” Thomas said.

“It all has to do with what we do on the training pitch. Once we can tap into the psyche a little bit and have them understanding the rigours of the Premier League, then we should be able to get them together.”

New Waterhouse assistant coach Jermaine Miller was pleased to start the season with a win.

“I think we were organised defensively, and when we got possession we played a pretty good game,” he said. “I think there were moments that we didn’t take good care of the ball, and I think we can work on that a little bit more.”

Waterhouse missed out on the play-offs last season, after a seventh-place finish, but Miller says they’re planning to correct that this season.

“We most definitely want to finish in a better position than we did last year so definitely, the top six is the aim. But, it’s early so we want to take it one game at a time,” he said.

— Daniel Blake

Molynes United’s Rashawn Livingston (left) and Waterhouse’s Kenly Deacon vie for the ball during the Jamaica Premier League match at Stadium East on Sunday. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

THOMAS… once we get them a little bit more organised and get them playing to instructions more often, then we can be way better (Photo: Observer file)