DESPITE the coaching uncertainty surrounding the Waterhouse FC team, they should provide an entertaining encounter with Tivoli Gardens in the Digicel Premier League (DPL) first End-of-Round final at the National Stadium, starting at 6:00 this evening.

With a report in the media suggesting head coach Baris Johnson has resigned, that might just be a disruptive element at the wrong time.

However, the Waterhouse management said it has received no letter of resignation from Johnson when contacted by the Sunday Observer yesterday.

But club president Ricky Chin seemed unsure about the coach’s status.

“I have no comment where that is concerned. I’m not sure, so let us talk more about it on Monday. We just want to focus on tomorrow,” Chin told the Sunday Observer.

With no points up for grabs, both teams will be hunting the $250,000 winning prize, with the runners-up slated to collect $150,000.

Waterhouse lead the overall standing with 25 points from 11 games — three more than Tivoli, on 22 from 10 games, with a match in hand.

That game in hand is against Humble Lion, but due to the threat of Tropical Storm Tomas, the match was rescheduled for the umpteenth time last Thursday.

Tickets will be sold at the National Stadium at $500 per person and with two of the most popular teams in action, a decent turn out is expected.

Waterhouse have won an impressive eight out of 11 games, including a 1-0 win over Tivoli Gardens on October 13, and should start marginal favourites today.

The Drewsland outfit is hunting its fifth straight win and should enter today’s match very confident.

“The team looks good, they have not dropped a stride since,” noted Chin. “They still seemed to be on top of their game and looking forward to tomorrow.

“This is the longest winning streak right now and they can crown it with a victory by winning the End-of-Round final because they’re playing extremely well,” said an upbeat Chin.

Waterhouse had a light workout yesterday morning and the team is raring to go, despite captain Kenardo Forbes having a slight injury.

The DPL’s top marksman Vincent Earle, Weston Forrest, Jermaine Anderson, the skilful Akeen Thenstead, Andre Clennon, Peter Keyes, goalkeeper Richard McCullum, Roger Rodney and Hugh Howell should provide the impetus for a Waterhouse victory.

Tivoli Gardens, on the other hand, are also looking for their fifth straight win and are bubbling with confidence entering the final.

The West Kingston aggregation, which has arguably the most fearsome front-line in Devon Hodges, Navion Boyd, Roland Dean and Kaemmar Daley, will be hard to contain.

However, Boyd has been out with a shoulder injury, taking a little bite out of the Tivoli attack which seems easier to contain without him.

The likes of Christopher Jackson, Kevin Blackford, captain Kasai Hinds, Kemar Flemmings, Shawn McKoy and goalkeeper Edsel Scott will be pivotal to Tivoli’s victory charge.

Both teams have been prolific, with Waterhouse scoring the most — 17 goals — while conceding seven times from 11 games.

Tivoli, on the other hand, have scored 16 times while conceding only five from their 10 games.

With both teams evenly matched, an intriguing encounter is in store. It will be interested to see how Waterhouse deal with Hodges and the pesky man marker Roger Rodney may be asked to close down last season’s top scorer.

Tivoli also have a determined man marker of their own in the very underrated Victor Thompson, and he should have the difficult task of shutting down the hard-running Jermaine “Tuffy” Anderson.

All in all, an exciting match is in the making, and the team with the most passion and determination should be the victor.

Referee Kevin Morrison will be the man in the middle, and he will be assisted by Kedlee Powell and Stacy-Ann Greyson, with Kevin Thomas the fourth official.