Arnett banking on home turf, Dunbeholden looking for rebound
ARNETT GARDENS defeated Dunbeholden 2-1 in their firstround Jamaica Premier League (JPL) meeting. However, assistant coach Eric Rademakers knows they will be facing a much different foe when the teams meet again for the second time this season at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex this afternoon at 3 p.m.
Third-place Arnett have fallen off the pace in recent weeks, slipping seven points off the leaders Waterhouse and Dunbeholden (39 points) after just one win in four matches.
Rademakers put his team’s loss and draw over the last two match days down to poor playing surface, and believes the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex will offer a familiar quality playing surface.
However, they have gone to great lengths to prepare for the improving Dunbeholden, who have not tasted defeat in the 10 games since they last met.
“We are coming off a draw and a loss and we want to get back to winning mode again. The fields we played the last two matches on were quite poor, so we hope to play on a good surface again in our home town.
“We think we can turn things around against them. But we have to get back to playing our game and cut back on the individual errors we have been making over the last two matches,” he said.
“Everybody’s aware of how we want to deal with Dunbeholden. They have a lot of strength up top with (Atapharoy) Bygrave and (Peter) McGregor. In midfield, Demario Phillips and Nicoy Christian are playing well.
“So we try to put things in place to minimise their strengths. At the same time, we have to get back to the things that we are good at, moving the ball through midfield and using our wingers.
LOOKING SHARP
“But we worked well all week and the team is looking sharp, so hopefully we can bring that to the match,” he said.
Dunbeholden assistant coach Ricardo Smith said the team is eager to put their disappointing draw with Tivoli behind them and get back to winning games.
“We got a point the last game and Waterhouse won, so we are settled on the same amount of points.
“The guys were very disappointed (Tivoli draw) but we are not worried about anything. We will pull up our socks and come again.
“They (players) know what their abilities are, so, the next game, they will come out and show what they are really made of,” he said.
The league’s leading scorer, Atapharoy Bygrave, netted his 11th of the season last weekend after a couple weeks without a goal, and Smith was glad to see him back on the scoresheet.
“Atapharoy has been getting the goals. He was off for a few games but he is finding the goals again and that is good for the team,” he added.
In the other game at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex, Harbour View oppose Humble Lion at 5:15 p.m.
Matches between Mount Pleasant and Waterhouse, as well as Cavalier and Montego Bay United, were postponed because of Cavalier and Waterhouse’s involvement in the Caribbean Club Championships.