Tivoli put unbeaten record on the line
Former champions Tivoli Gardens will put their seven-match unbeaten record to the test against Mount Pleasant Football Academy on Sunday as they seek to consolidate their hold on a Jamaica Premier League (JPL) play-off spot.
The West Kingston team in sixth on 25 points will journey to Drax Hall complex in St Ann to face fourth-placed team on 31 points, while eight-placed Humble Lions (18 points) and 10th-placed Vere United (16 points) will lock horns in a Clarendon derby at Effortville Community Centre.
Kick off for both games is 3:00 pm.
Plagued by inconsistency since their 3-1 win over Mount Pleasant back in March, Tivoli Gardens have now found some semblance of form which propelled them into the top six.
There is no doubt that Tivoli Gardens will enter the contest brimming with confidence as victory today would not extend their vein of form, but would also see them leapfrogging champions Cavalier, who was away on Concacaf Caribbean Club Championship action.
For Mount Pleasant, today’s contest represents an opportunity to turn the tables on Tivoli Gardens and also develop some level of consistency themselves to ensure they stay abreast with the leaders, especially with only a mere seven points separating them from seventh-placed Harbour View.
With two draws and a win in their last three fixtures, Vere United will head down the road hoping to take all three points off neighbours Humble Lions to start some semblance of ascension up the standings.
Humble Lion like Vere United is mindful that it only takes a decent run to boost their play-off ambitions and, as such, will be hoping to mark the start of such a run with victory.
Still, the fact that both teams have been struggling to score goals and by extension win games in the lower half of the standings, makes it even more possible that, like their previous meeting, today’s encounter could again end in a goalless stalemate.
Meanwhile, third-place Arnett Gardens (35 points) could move one point closer to the top two in Waterhouse and Dunbeholden on 39 points each, provided the better 11th-placed Molynes United (14 points) in the marquee Monday Night fixture at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex at 7:30 pm.
Prior to that, ninth-placed Portmore United (17 points) and cellar-dwellers Montego Bay United (six points) will contest the curtain raiser at 5:00 pm.
Sunday’s games
3:00 pm: Mount Pleasant FA vs Tivoli Gardens @Drax Hall, St Ann
3:00 pm: Humble Lions vs Vere United @Effortville Community Centre
Monday’s games
5:00 pm: Portmore United vs Montego Bay United
7:30 pm: Molynes United vs Arnett Gardens
*Both games will be played at Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex