Waterhouse spurred by win over Humble Lions
HAVING done what was required to move back to the summit of the Jamaica Premier League (JPL), Assistant Coach Daniel Bent says Waterhouse FC is intent on keeping the momentum going, as they prepare to transition to the Concacaf Caribbean Club Championship.
Bent’s comments came after the Drewsland-based club extended their unbeaten run across six games with a 1-0 win over Humble Lions in a keenly contested encounter at Stadium East on Monday.
Denardo Thomas’s sixth goal of the season in the 52nd minute proved enough to hand Waterhouse all three points and also snapped Humble Lions’ four-match unbeaten run.
The win saw Waterhouse joining Dunbeholden FC on 39 points, but they assumed pole position with a superior goal difference.
“We were always working to finish in the top two at the end of the round and we are now at the top of the table, and this lead is something that we want to maintain. Not only that, but we wanted to win this heading into the Concacaf Club Championship and we did that, so I am very happy,” Bent said in a post-game interview.
With their current vein of form being nothing to scoff at, Bent is rating his team’s chances to top Haitian club Archaie and Vega Real out of the Dominican Republic on May 15 and 17, respectively.
“We fancy our chances. Like I said, we wanted to win ahead of those matches, which means it’s something that we are looking forward to. The transition won’t affect our squad because we have a quality squad, and so we are looking forward to it,” he added.
The game started at a good tempo with both teams showing good attacking intent in the early exchanges, and even created a few half chances, but failed to make them count in the final third, resulting in a goalless first half.
Waterhouse was first into top stride on the resumption and applied some pressure which saw them knocking on the door on a few occasions, but again failed to capitalise.
They inevitably found the breakthrough seven minutes in when Thomas’s intended cross from the right side eluded Shamal Briscoe in goal for Humble Lions.
Though they continued to press and, by extension, create openings, Waterhouse lacked composure in front of goal and as a result, failed in the probe to add to their tally.
The same is true for their Clarendon-based opponents, who came to life in the last 20 minutes of the encounter and should have made Waterhouse pay for their profligacy, but faulty shooting despite excellent glovework from Kemar Foster at times, denied them.
Bent acknowledged that his team’s wayward shooting could have proved costly had Humble Lions been more clinical.
“Humble Lions made it difficult for us in the first 15 minutes and towards the end, but nevertheless we took all three points and I am very happy,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Humble Lions Head Coach Andrew Price rued his team’s missed chances.
“I knew they [Waterhouse] would be cautious because of their Concacaf assignment coming up. I thought we had enough chances to take the lead in the first half and even late in the second, but we just didn’t take our chances and the one defensive error we made really gave up the game,” Price said.