By Paul A. Reid, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
VILLAGE AND Waterhouse, locked in nearly a deadheat in the race for the last semi-final spot in the Wray and Nephew National Premier League (NPL) will play away to strugglers Invaders and Reno this afternoon in third round return games, starting at 3:30 p.m.
Fifth-placed Waterhouse will face Reno at the Frome Sports Grounds while fourth-placed Village meet Invaders in the fifth Trelawny derby this season at the Elliston Wakeland Community Centre in Falmouth.
Not much separates Village, Waterhouse and Rivoli who are all tied on 47 points and are separated by mere fractions in goal difference. The Trelawny club has plus-12. Waterhouse are one behind with the same margin separating them from Rivoli.
Tivoli Gardens have qualified for a semi-final spot with 61 points followed by another close contests between defending champions Portmore and Harbour View who both have 53 points.
This situation sets the scene for a dogfight for the remainder of the season with three games to go in the third and final preliminary round.
If form holds, the points situation will remain the same after today's games as Village, Waterhouse and Rivoli, who are at home to relegated Star Cosmos, are all expected to win.
Village are on a tear and seem to be rounding back into form at the right time and have had a string of good results and will be seeking their third straight win over Invaders after drawing the first two.
The Lloyd Williams-coached team which will face Waterhouse in next Sunday's Federation Cup Knockout final has scored six goals in their past two meetings with Invaders and will have a big psychological advantage.
Daniel Ricketts, Fabian Dawkins who scored in their 3-0 win over Constant Spring in their most recent NPL game, Teofore Bennett and Kevin Williams who scored in their Fed Cup semi-final win on Sunday will be expected to carry the game to Invaders.
Invaders are playing for their NPL lives and need to get points from anywhere they can but will find the going tough today. Goalkeeper Richard McCallum is the only real class player in the Invaders team and he will need a lot of support from the experienced Thomas Grant, Ricardo Geddes, Delroy Ellis and Sheldon Bryan.
While not out of relegation danger themselves, Reno have a bit more breathing space but will need a win to keep their head above water but will find the going tough against Waterhouse who they have failed to beat all season and have lost the past two against.
Reno have not been outplayed in recent games but have been victims of defensive and goalkeeping errors either at crucial points in the game or late in the contests.
The young Reno team has fought doggedly in its recent games and it is expected to do so.
Boysie Nicholson, who has been in charge of the team for most of the second and third rounds, played an unchanged eleven in their last game, a 1-0 loss to Harbour View and it is expected that he will be depending on the same players this afternoon.
It could be a long day for the youthful team, most of whom played schoolboy football this season or in the past two seasons as they will come up against a tough Waterhouse team that should include their former teammate Desmond Breakenridge, the Nigerian Uchechukwu Chinyere, Kevin Lamey and Roger Rodney.
Waterhouse's NPL form has not been that sparkling however as they have won only once in their past four outings and after been held at home by Star Cosmos, Reno will think they are in with a chance of getting their second win of the round.
