By Paul A. Reid, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
THE BOTTOM four clubs in the National Premier League (NPL) will get a chance to score some well-needed morale boosters when they bow into action in the second round of the Jamaica Football Federation's (JFF) Jamaica National Building Society's (JNBS) Federation Cup Knockout today.
Constant Spring, Bull Bay, Wadadah and Rivoli will tackle parish representatives in the first leg of the two-way play-offs set to start at 3:00 p.m.
They will join the 12 parish representatives including Downs FC of Manchester and Axum of St. Mary who advanced from the first-round play-offs.
Downs eliminated Bath of Clarendon while Axum beat Manchioneal of Portland in two-way play-offs.
Of the four NPL teams playing today, Rivoli who will host Foster Youths of St Elizabeth, look to have the best chance of dismissing their parish rivals. After a good display against Hazard in the final of the St. Catherine FA 'Happy' Sutherland Knockout on Sunday when they were beaten in sudden death extra-time, the Bradley Stewart-coached team will have its tails up.
Coach Stewart has signed a number of new players to bolster his squad that is lying next to last in the NPL including Errol Wilkie of Hazard, Glenroy Levy of Old Harbour and Dwight Heron of Wadadah.
Rivoli looked much improved on Sunday and if former national striker Patrick Beech, who scored that day, Omar Cummings and Ray Graham come prepared to play, the St. Elizabeth team could be in for some trouble.
One of the most eagerly awaited match-ups will be the Black Diamond-Wadadah St. James derby at Jarrett Park after the Hart Shield Super League outfit dumped the NPL team out of a local Knockout in the first round recently.
Wadadah have also gone shopping for players and have brought in some much needed defensive help through former Violet Kickers central defender Garnett Denton along with Cornwall College midfielder Kirkland Smith and former Waterhouse player Martin Whittingham.
Black Diamond came back from 2-1 down to beat Wadadah two Sundays ago but the NPL team will be better prepared today.
Smith had scored with a torrid free-kick in the first meeting of the two teams but Chad Plummer, Walton Haughton and George Beckford scored in the 3-2 win.
Black Diamond, who gained their place in the competition despite being beaten in the St. James final after Seba Youths were disqualified by the JFF's Competition's Committee, will be trying to prove they belong.
Downs will have their hands full today when they travel to Constant Spring who will be trying to use this competition to get a jump start on the third round of the NPL.
Spring are in ninth place in the NPL, six points above the relegation zone.
Bull Bay have slipped past Wadadah to the bottom of the points standings and will be hoping to avoid being the first NPL casualty. They will play away to Israel at Monymusk but will have the 'luxury' of hosting the return leg.
