Leaders Portmore hunt win in the Jungle
FANS OF the Red Stripe Premier League, particularly those in the Corporate Area, will be spoilt for choices in the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) today, with five quality matches on offer.
On the face of it, the matchup between defending champions Portmore United and the team they dethroned, Arnett Gardens, appears to be the most exciting. After losing on the opening day to first-timers Mount Pleasant FC, Portmore United have worked their way back to the top of the table and only last week stopped struggling Reno 2-0. That win was without the returning captain Ricardo Morris and Jovan East, who were both on national duty.
Arnett were sitting at the top of the table on match day last week after toppling previous leaders Tivoli Gardens on the Monday before. At the end of that day, they found themselves in fourth after being spanked by the surprising UWI FC 3-0.
Games between themselves and Portmore United are always keenly contested regardless of their places on the table. Morris, East and joint leading scorer in the competition, Rondee Smith, should be prominent for Portmore, while Marvin Morgan and Fabian Reid should lead the Arnett Gardens charge.
MAIN GOALSCORER
Another match which could be just as exciting is the UWI FCTivoli Gardens matchup. Having seen the flowers of Arnett Gardens wilt under their heat, second-place UWI FC will be aiming to do the same to the other Gardens, Tivoli. Anthony Greenland, three goals, has stepped into the role of main goalscorer with the departure of Girvon Brown to Waterhouse. This will afford him another opportunity to display his prowess with support from Ryan Miller and company.
Fourth-place Tivoli Gardens have played well under the guidance of Omar Edwards, and with better luck they would have still been at the top of the table. Colorado Murray and Howard Morris have led them offensively and creatively in the absence of Andre Moulton, Tevin Shaw and Jermaine ‘Teddy’ Johnson, with captain Barrington Pryce leading the defensive line.
The team of the future, Cavalier, and Montego Bay United should also be a spectators’ treat, with the young charges of Cavalier hoping to return to winning ways against Montego Bay United. The eighth-place Cavalier were going great and shared the lead until they ran into UWI FC and Portmore United for back-toback losses. Monday night’s display against Waterhouse should give them some confidence, and that wonder strike from Kaheem Parris should have fans looking to see him replicate.
Chevone Marsh, Alex Marshall, Nicholas Hamilton and Jahmoi Topey will relish the surface of Stadium East but Montego Bay United have their young stars as well. Jourdaine Fletcher has been improving match by match, Nazime Matalie-Grant and the confident Odane Nish have been responding to coach Vassell Reynolds, and they will be supported by the more experienced Jermaine Woozencoft and Orlando McBayne.
At Frome, home team Reno will be aiming to get a positive result and lift themselves off the bottom of the table, but Waterhouse will be tough.
Humble Lion took a valuable point playing away to Montego Bay United last week, and if Craig Foster reports in a similar mood to last week then the promoted Dunbeholden could find the going tough.
TODAY’S GAMES
3 p.m: FC Reno vs Waterhouse – STETHS
3 p.m: Humble Lion vs Dunbeholden – Effortville Community Centre
3 p.m: UWI FC vs Tivoli Gardens – UWI Mona Bowl
5 p.m: Arnett Gardens vs Portmore United – Anthony Spaulding Complex
5 p.m: Cavalier vs Montego Bay United – Stadium East
IIIIITOMORROW’S GAME
8:35 p.m: Harbour View vs Mount Pleasant – Harbour View Stadium
IPOINTS STANDINGS
Portmore UWI FC Mt Pleasant Tivoli Arnett Waterhouse MoBayUnited Cavalier H View
H Lion Dunbeholden Reno 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 2 2 1 1 3 0 0 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 3 2 4 4 7 7 5 5 6 8 5 6 4 3 1 2 2 3 3 3 6 4 5 6 10 5 4 8 5 4 2 2 0 4 0 0 -6 -2 -3 -6 10 10 10 9 9 8 8 7 4 3 3 3