Arnett's Kevin Wilson, (left) and Waterhouse's Damion Williams. Nodley Wright, Staff Reporter
AFTER MORE than two weeks of inactivity, defending champions Arnett Gardens will take the field today against former champions Waterhouse at Emmett Park.
This match is one of four in St. Catherine and the Corporate Area. Also in action are last season's beaten finalists Hazard United who host the struggling Wadadah at the Ferdie Neita Park while Rivoli journey to Constant Spring to take on that team.
Embattled Reno will face Harbour View in the second game of a doubleheader at the Harbour View Mini-Stadium. Jamaica's Under-17 team will meet their Antigua & Barbuda foes at 1:30.
In the match of the day, the defending champions must be eager to go after forced idleness caused by the rains brought on by tropical storms Isidore and Lili. They, along with Tivoli Gardens, sat out another fixture because both parties thought it unwise to play their game in this politically-charged atmosphere.
If Arnett Gardens are eager, then Waterhouse are prepared and ready, according to manager David Henry.
"We know that Arnett have a very good structure and a good following but three years ago we were winning these fixtures because we were focussed," said Henry of the upcoming encounter implying that his team had lost its way over the past couple of seasons.
"This time we are very serious and we have a dedicated crop of senior players who realise that we have to challenge for the championship from early," he said.
The record, Henry said, shows that "we have been making a run in the last round for the past three years. This year we want to go for it from early and we have set our goals."
With that being the case, the defending champions should expect a tough fight. Arnett Gardens coach Jerome Waite is expecting nothing less.
"I expect a good game," said Waite. "We are the defending champions, they are a team that have started out fairly well, so I expect a competitive game."
Waterhouse opened their campaign with a 5-1 hammering of Wadadah before earning a 3-3 draw with Village United at Elletson Wakeland. They followed this up at home (Emmett Park) with a 1-0 loss to Rivoli which could suggest they are in reverse.
Not so, according to Henry. "The concensus is that we lost because the weather interfered with the training. The lack of training caused us to lose our sharpness but they have responded positively since," he said.
Arnett Gardens too would have been affected by the weather but like their opponents the response has been positive.
"It (the rains) affected every team. None will have an advantage. The rains came around and that is natural so we have our team back on track," Waite said..
"My players have responded fairly well within the period that we had to train. We played a practice game on Thursday and they are looking fairly well," he said.
Waite's team is expected to be led by the likes of Kevin Wilson, Jonathan Williams, Fabian Davis and Gerald Neil but, according to him, they are not the only weapons he will pack.
"What is good about this team is that we are competitive in all areas. It is our hope that when players like Everton Bunsie, Eugene Barnes and Gregory Messam return they will have to fight for a game," Waite said.
"Walter Boyd is still not fully fit yet but we have a lot of fire power and we are prepared for whatever the opponents have to offer," said Waite.
Henry was no less confident.
"We know them person to person and we think that we have the players who can technically match those positions.
"All my players are available and the captain (Irvino English) is returning from a one-match suspension," Henry said.
Other players that he will be counting on are Damion Powell who leads the competition in goalscoring, Damion Williams and goalkeeper Loxley Reid.
Action is expected to be explosive.
Spectators will not be admitted to this game from the North Street gate.
The Gleaner will not be covering today's NPL games or the Under-17 match due to the JFF's non-accreditation of our reporter assigned to cover the matches.
