Paul A. Reid, Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
FORMER CHAMPIONS Reno FC, still searching for their first win six rounds into the Wray And Nephew National Premier League (NPL), will host Seba United at the Frome Sports Grounds this evening starting at 6:00 p.m.
The other game scheduled for western Jamaica, Wadadah vs Arnett Gardens at Jarrett Park has been rescheduled for tomorrow afternoon at the same venue, also at 6:00.
Arnett Gardens asked for and were granted a one-day delay as they sought to avoid a clash with the political mass meeting set for Sam Sharpe Square this afternoon.
Meanwhile, in four Corporate Area and St. Catherine games, Harbour View tackle Waterhouse, Tivoli host Village at Railway Oval, Constant Spring take on Bull Bay at Constant Spring and over at Prison Oval, Rivoli go up against Hazard.
Leaders Hazard, on 12 points, should start favourites against Rivoli (10 points), however it will be no walkover for the last year's beaten finalists.
High-riding second-placed Village (11) may find the going tough against hosts Tivoli (six), who have two wins from three starts.
Harbour View (10) will be looking to take maximum points from Waterhouse (four), while Constant Spring (four) should put up a better performance at home against Bull Bay (four), who lost 3-0 to Harbour View on Wednesday.
In today's game, both team need to win as they are languishing at the bottom of the standings. Seba are in ninth place on four points, eight behind leaders Hazard United while Reno are on two points and two places further down in the rankings.
Both teams earned promotion to the NPL this season after coming through a special play-off at the end of last season.
The coaches are promising a good game but with just two goals between them in 10 matches played, it is hardly likely the fans will be in for a goal feast. On the other hand, they have combined to concede nine goals.
While Seba United have scored twice - in each of their past two games, Reno have failed to find the back of the net all season long and their forwards are long overdue.
Both coaches told The Gleaner their charges were "in high spirits" and were looking forward to the renewal of the rivalry and were expecting a good game.
Reno's coach Linval 'Palla' Wilson said that while they had hoped to play Wednesday's game against Tivoli that was called off due to heavy rain and lightning, they had used the time well to prepare and "should give a better account of ourselves today".
ll was well in the Reno camp, he reported and the recent impasse over wages was now behind them and the players who had been suspended were back in the camp.
Seba will have a third coach on the bench as former Haitian women's coach Danielo Barrigio will join Dr. Dean Weatherly and Errol Gillette. The team will be without midfielder Iton Scott who is still to face the JFF's disciplinary committee after picking up a red card in the 1-0 win over Tivoli Gardens last Sunday.
Despite their loss on Wednesday to Rivoli, Weatherly said they learned a lot from that game which he insists, with a few more breaks going their way, they should have won.
Weatherly was also encouraged by Markino Gilling's first goal of the season, saying this could be the former Wadadah striker's breakthrough and was the result of one-on-one work with the strikers on the team.
Along with Gillings, Seba are expecting good things from Wilfred Smith and midfielders Daniel Ricketts and Theodore Whitmore.
