Audley Boyd, Staff Reporter
A TEAM must either swim or sink in all six return matches of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) National Premier League play-offs today.
In last Sunday's first leg of the elimination series, Reno beat Santos 2-0 at Railway Oval, Seba United blanked Platinum 2-0 away, Mount Salem had an easy 3-1 win at Lewis Strikers' home ground, Olympic Gardens won by the same margin over Maverley-Hughenden at Cling Cling Oval and Frome edged Axum 1-0 at Frome.
For today's clashes, the fixture reads: Reno vs Santos at Frome, Axum vs Frome at Westmoreland Oval, Maverley-Hughenden vs Olympic Gardens at Maverley Park, Brazil vs Central Link at Drax Hall, Seba United vs Platinum and Mount Salem vs Lewis Strikers in a double-header at Jarrett Park. Seba's match is set to kick-off at 2 p.m., two hours ahead of the feature. Other matches are slated to begin at 3:30p.m.
Among the contenders Reno, by virtue of playing in the Premier League last season, are seeded number one and as such, shall advance to the semi-finals if they hold off Santos. Duhaney Park, also demoted from the Premier League last season, were also seeded but they withdrew. The other teams will be matched for the next round by a draw on tomorrow.
For today's clash, the Westmoreland team seem quite confident of advancing, owing to their first leg advantage and the manner in which they got it while dominating KSAFA Major League champions Santos in their away encounter last Sunday.
Asked about pressing home their advantage, Reno's technical director, Wendell Downswell, said: "We should be able to... we won the game away. That put us in good stead. What we've to try to do now is consolidate our position."
Pete Campbell, who proved more than a handful for his opponents, was responsible for both goals and the Hanif Freckleton-led Santos defence must put him on a leash if they hope to surprise their hosts. That will not be easy, however, as three-time Premier League champions Reno who will be at home are almost certain to be strengthened through additional playing time for scoring ace Kirk Wright.
Santos, the real sleeping giants of local football, are aiming to awake from an almighty slumber after chomping up the first four national league titles and their fifth and final a couple seasons later.
Shimmers of that glory won between two-and-a-half to three decades ago were rekindled in last season's final when they came from two goals down in the return leg to take the Major League crown.
Against unquestionably stronger opposition, Santos' coach, Carlton Dennis, is uncertain the Corporate Area champions can repeat the task.
"I don't know if we can get back that spark but we can try," said Dennis. "It's going to be hard. If we train good this week and put up a better fight," Dennis said after the first leg.
The same obtains for all the teams which lost last week, even Brazil which was fined $30,000 and conceded a two-goal margin after failing to show for a rescheduled Premier League qualifier against St. Catherine's Central Link at Prison Oval on Thursday.
Additionally, they are to face the Jamaica Football Federation's Disciplinary Committee.
The Central Link-Brazil match should actually have been played last Sunday along with the other games but match officials ruled the Prison Oval surface unplayable.
Reasons given by the officials for not allowing the match were contradicted through an assessment by a different JFF personnel.
"The Competition's Commit-tee sent an independent member who said the grass was not too high and the match could've been played," JFF press officer Earl Bailey told the Sunday Gleaner.
On that basis, Bailey said the JFF volunteered to "offset all financial expenses" that Brazil would have incurred for Thursday's replay, in recognition of the fact that it was JFF officials who had "decided that the game should not have been played" and "... because they (Brazil) could've been in financial difficulties."
Bailey said Brazil did not turn up for the game as "they said they were unable to field a team because their players had to work."
However, Bailey said in a meeting prior to the competition, teams were notified that rescheduled games would've been played on weekdays.
He said: "Before the competition started they would've known that because all replays are done during the week so you've to make up your mind whether you're participating or not."
