Atkinson shines on JPL’s opening weekend
Cavalier’s young forward Dwayne Atkinson is the Jamaica Premier League’s (JPL) Player of the Round after his impressive display on the opening weekend of the league.
Atkinson inspired his team to a 2-0 win over Humble Lion after taking the field at the start of the second half.
The 19 year-old, who recently came off an injury and is yet to reach full fitness, entered the match with both teams struggling to break each other down.
However, 12 minutes from time, the former Kingston College Manning Cup star broke the deadlock with a vicious shot from outside the box.
Then, in time added, the diminutive player produced an exquisite outside of the boot pass that unhinged the Humble Lion defence and sent Courtney Allen clean through on goal to score the team’s second. Atkinson made his Premier League debut last season, scoring three goals in 11 matches before the coronavirus pandemic brought the competition to a premature end.
The player told STAR Sports that he is elated to have made such a strong start to the season, and his aim is to be consistent and become the youngest ever topscorer in the league.
“It is a great feeling coming off the bench and having an assist and a goal. I am always focused and I have my mind on certain targets. So it is a great coming off the bench and having such a strong start to the league,” he said.
“The target is to win the Premier League and be the youngest Premier League player to finish leading goalscorer and, once I keep the mindset and the coaches keep pushing me and I keep putting in the hard work, I see myself doing it,” he commented. Atkinson has his sights set on scoring 15 goals this season.
Cavalier’s sporting director, Rudolph Speid, said the young player has the talent to make it on the big stage.
Speid believes Atkinson is one of the most complete attackers in the league.
“He can hurt you in so many different ways. He is not onedimensional,” Speid said. According to Speid, Atkinson will be a consistent performer for Cavalier as he is a ‘natural’ and his work rate is great on and off the ball.