Nodley Wright, Freelance WriterWEATHER PERMITTING, today's schedule in the Wray and Nephew National Premier League could be one of the most interesting ones in a while.
On the cards today are the top-of-the-table clash between leaders Harbour View and second-placed Waterhouse; Village United up against Tivoli Gardens; the clash between Rivoli and the stabilising Boys' Town and the Montego Bay derby between Wadadah and Seba.
Completing the day's schedule is the Arnett Gardens/Constant Spring match-up.
On the face of it, the top-of-the-table clash should generate the most attention but the game of the day should be the Elliston Wakeland Centre between Village United and Tivoli Gardens. After struggling to find the back of the net in their first three games, Village have scored consistently in their past five, drawing three times and winning twice.
Those results and the strengthening of the team have convinced coach Dr Dean Weatherly that Village are in with a realistic chance of getting into the end-of-round final with three sets of games including today's to go.
REALISTIC CHANCES
"I have not looked at the last points tally but our chances of getting to the end-of-round final are still realistic," said Weatherly, whose team's two wins have come against Waterhouse and Harbour View respectively.
"What we have to do is to win the remaining three matches and we should have a chance," continued Weatherly. Village's two wins have been on their home ground and if they could get past Tivoli then they could be well on their way of achieving the three wins as their next two opponents would be Wadadah and Constant Spring.
On the more immediate front though, Tivoli Gardens cannot be considered pushovers, especially after the return to form of last season's leading scorer Christopher Nicholas, who had a hat-trick against Seba last Sunday. That win should get the good vibes flowing again.
"We have been re-energised. We had a good training session this morning and there was a full turn out despite the weather," manager Brian Rose told The Sunday Gleaner yesterday.
While the players are upbeat, they could face a little setback with the definite absence of the outstanding rightback Orane Simpson; the possible absence of defensive rock Kasai Hinds and forward Roland Dean.
"We have replacements for these players. Horace Howell, who played in the last game, could come in for Dean as well as Nicardo Williams, who has been promoted from the Under-21 team. For Kasai Hinds, Richard Morgan is a possible replacement," explained Rose.
Weatherly is viewing the absence of Simpson as plus for his team but if Jermaine Johnson, a man with the ability to rip defences to shreds, shows up in a mood to play, then they could have a problem. When Nicholas and Johnson are in synch, they are always hard to contain. In Waheem Walker, Victor Thompson and Christopher Jackson, they have other quality players.
ABUNDANCE OF RICHES
On the other hand, Village almost have an abundance of riches at this time. In addition to Fabian Dawkins, the goalscoring man of the moment, they have Teofore Bennett, Ian McAnuff, who may want to take revenge on his former club, in good form as well as Nicardo Folkes and Athol Franklyn.
Of the players who can take the field only Shane Crawford is unavailable.
"We have a full competitive squad to choose from with the exception of Shane Crawford who should be back next week. Training has been quite good and competitive leading up to this game. The only problem we face right now is to select the squad for this game," said Weatherly.
At the Harbour View Mini Stadium, visiting Waterhouse will have to up their game significantly to retard the progress of Harbour View to the end-of-round final.
Boys' Town have been showing week after week that they are not in the competition to make up numbers and even with the classy Garfield Reid in their line-up, Rivoli could fall to the Red Brigade.
Arnett Gardens are expected to get the better of Constant Spring despite their plucky performance against the defending champions Portmore last week.
In the Montego Bay derby there is only a point but two positions between Wadadah and Seba United. This Jarrett Park encounter has more than bragging rights at stake
STANDINGS
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Harbour View | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 18 |
| Waterhouse | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 14 |
| Arnett | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 13 |
| Tivoli | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 13 |
| Portmore | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 11 |
| Village | 8 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 11 |
| Boys' Town | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 10 |
| Reno | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| Rivoli | 8 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 11 | -4 | 7 |
| Wadadah | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 12 | -6 | 5 |
| C. Spring | 8 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 12 | -7 | 4 |
| Seba | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 17 | -9 | 4 |
Rivoli vs Boys' Town at Prison Oval 4:00 p.m.
Village United vs Tivoli Gardens at Elliston
Wakeland Centre 3:30 p.m.
Seba United vs Wadadah at Jarrett Park 7:00 p.m.
Arnett Gardens vs Constant Spring at Tony Spaulding
Sports Complex 5:00 p.m.
Harbour View vs Waterhouse at Harbour
View 5:30 p.m.
