Nodley Wright, Staff Reporter
THE FIRST title of the 2001/2002 Craven A National Premier League (NPL) season will be up for grabs at 3:00 p.m. today when Arnett Gardens and Constant Spring meet at the Harbour View Mini-Stadium.
This match is the feature game of a double-header with Arnett Gardens also involved in the 12:30 opening encounter. In that match, the Neville Bell-conditioned Harbour View Under 21s go up against their Arnett Gardens age group rivals who beat them 3-0 at the same venue in the regular season.
The match of the day between the bigger boys will be like a grudge match as Constant Spring handed Arnett Gardenes a fine beating (4-2) in their second match of the season. For Arnett Gardens, this could be added incentive for them to take care of Constant Spring and to do so in style while for Constant Spring this could give them a psychological boost.
Constant Spring's technical director, Danny Lyn, sees things a little differently.
"I don't think our previous encounter gives us any psychological advantage," said Lyn. "I think it was the early part of the season, Arnett obviously have made some improvements both in condition and chemistry, while Constant Spring have improved tremendously and we basically are believing in ourselves. The players are believing in themselves."
Arnett Gardens' Jerome Waite disagreed with Lyn's view of the outcome of the first meeting.
"This is a team that beat us in the first outing in the first round so it's a team we cannot take lightly. One of the most important things is not to concede an early goal in this game," Waite said.
So convinced is Waite of the importance of the first game to Constant Spring that he has labelled them favourites.
"They will start as the favourites in this game seeing that they beat us in the first one," said Waite before warning "but psychologically, they themselves know that Arnett Gardens are ready now, it's not like when the season just started."
It is more than just the form of Arnett Gardens that has changed since that meeting.
The mood has also changed and the players are ready for payback.
"Due to the fact that they Constant Spring beat us 4-2 in the last outing, the players are definitely looking forward to revenge going into the next game. They themselves know how important this game is."
At stake in the end-of-round final is $75,000 for the winners plus a trophy and three points while the losers take home $45,000 and one point.
"The players are optimistic, this is something they are looking forward to, reaching both finals and carrying some more trophies back to Arnett Gardens. It really means a lot, not only to the team but the community," Waite said.
One crucial factor in this game could be the activity of both teams over the past two weeks. Constant Spring completed their fixtures on December 2 with an away victory over Reno while Arnett Gardens have played two games since.
This, Lyn said, could be either a positive or negative for both teams.
"I think Arnett should be on the gilt-edge right now due to the fact that they have played three games in eight days," he said.
In terms of the players on both sides, the Arnett Gardens players who have not had any exposure to the national team at various levels are the minority while for Constant, only four have had such exposure. Midfielder defender Fabian Watkins has represented the senior team along with Oneil McDonald while Greg Gardner has trained with the senior team and captain Carlington Clarke has had age group experience.
"I'm very confident because Arnett Gardens will be at maximum strength for this game. This is the first time that you'll be seeing the strongest Arnett Gardens team," Waite said of his team's chances.
"Fabian Davis, Adonis Maxwell, Kevin Wilson and Walter Boyd, all players will be ready so we'll be firing on all cylinders.
