By Audley Boyd, Assistant Sport Editor
Graham ... scored hat-trick in first match in Curacao. - File
ARNETT GARDENS' coach, Jerome Waite, has promised a more severe whipping of the Netherland Antilles' Jong Colombia in their CONCACAF Club Championship return leg match at Tony Spaulding Sports Complex next Wednesday.
The Arnett team thrashed the Dutch-Caribbean league runners-up 5-1 in their first leg away clash on artificial turf in Curacao midweek and are looking forward to their conclusive meeting at home.
"Based on who I saw, I don't think they have much to offer," said Waite. "I think we can give them more."
He also listed the depth of his squad and their position as other factors that should contribute to a wider margin of victory.
"We have players who travelled with us who did not play such as Kwame Richardson, Jonathan Williams and Alberto Fray so we can still strengthen our team."
Waite added: "They are 5-1 behind, they will come and push one man more into attack. That is basically what I'm looking forward to."
Ray Graham (17th, 39th, 55th) led the scoring for the Wray and Nephew National Premier League runners-up with a hat-trick, while Leon Strickland (87th) and defender Oneil Dunn in the third minute of time added on netted the other goals for Arnett.
Graham scored his goals off crosses from Walter Boyd, Keith Kelly and Strickland; Strickland hit home a deflection off a defender from near six yards and Dunn went past the goalie before scoring into an open net.
Kevin Jensen scored at the 73rd minute for Jong Colombia, who have three national players on their roster.
The victory extended Arnett's resurgence, giving them their third straight win.
"This is good. In our Premier League here at the start of the season we weren't doing well, but we won our last two games leading up to this championship game," explained Waite. "We've presently found a nice rhythm ... I feel good about it.
"It was good to see the team score all of five goals because it's something that has been posing a problem all season and maybe it was the right time that we found our rhythm," he said.
"The players' focus level was high and there was a good mood in the camp. The quality of football played by the team was also good. They displayed good ball possession, good passes, good technique, but in regards to finishing, in this game I'd give them about 40 per cent."
The game did not finish without major incidents as two players were sent off - Jong Colombia's captain, Carlos Martha, after picking up two yellow cards by the 55th minute and Strickland in the third minute of time added on.
Besides Arnett Gardens, national champions Portmore United, the other Jamaican rep in the tournament, made a winning start - 1-0 over another Netherland Antilles team, their champions FC Barber.
Their return match will take place on Wednesday in Curacao.
