Hyde Jnr... Tivoli and Hue...H View
Audley Boyd, Assistant Sport Editor
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS Tivoli Gardens and the team they beat for the premier title last season, Harbour View, begin their historic quest to become the first Jamaican football team to lift the Caribbean Club Championship in the first leg final at Harbour View Mini Stadium this evening at 7:00.
The head coaches from both camps expressed some amount of confidence, although in a reserved fashion, as they went about putting the finishing touches to their preparations.
Tivoli's Glendon 'Admiral' Bailey was busy drilling his troops set-play routine late in the evening while Harbour View's Donovan 'DV' Hayles worked feverishly with others to set the lights in place at early afternoon.
UNDER LIGHTS
It is the first time in over a year and a half that a match will be played under lights at Compound and the teams, which have a host of national players, are looking to shine brightly to ensure that when the decisive second leg is played at Tivoli's Edward Seaga Stadium next Wednesday, their task to lay claim to the coveted crown will be less difficult.
Harbour View have come closer with a loss in the final to Joe Public in 2000, and a third-place finish after being denied by another Trinidadian team, W. Connection, the following year. Hayles believes that experience will give his club an advantage.
"We fancy our chances of being the first Jamaica team to win this championship due to the mere fact that we've been there more than any other Jamaican team," Hayles said. "In the first year we were ousted by Joe Public and then W. Connection. This is the third time that we're in this same position and we believe the experience has put us in good stead to win."
The fact that they are entering virgin territory has not stifled the belief of Tivoli, who are using last year's Premiership success as a guide.
LOOKING FOR PAYBACK
"Playing away from home is not easy," stated Bailey. "Going out to Compound, it's not an easy place to win, but the guys are up to it. We're taking this one serious. It's obvious the number one and number two teams in the country should be in this position once more. Harbour View will be looking for payback.
"I hope the guys apply themselves and come away with a good result. A good result is to come away with a point," Bailey said.
Tivoli did just that in their last meeting at that ground, last week Wednesday when both teams played to a 2-2 Wray and Nephew National Premier League finish.
Anthony McCreath and Clifton Waugh (penalty) scored for Harbour View then, while Lenworth Hyde Jnr. and Steve Green netted for Tivoli.
ATTACKING PLAY
That match was full of attacking play and not the best defending, to say the least, with Harbour View getting the lion's share of chances against a Tivoli team that looked way out of sorts.
On the strength of that performance, Hayles says his team is more optimistic.
Hyde Jnr,. Christopher Nicholas, Roland Dean, Steve Green and Fabian Davis are Bailey's trump cards, while Marco McDonald will be returning to add strength to their defence. All these players have represented Jamaica.
Harbour View are also blessed with national talent and in-form strikers with Luton Shelton, McCreath, Jomo Gordon, Thomas Grant and midfield general Jermaine Hue and their quiet assassin this season Sean Fraser, who has added the important dimension of scoring to his creative armoury.
It promises to be another torrid day for defenders.
The winners of the two-way tie will go through to the eight-team CONCACAF Champions Cup.
