Audley Boyd, Assistant Sport Editor
ARNETT GARDENS are heavily favoured to beat Constant Spring in their 11th round Wray and Nephew National Premier League match at Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex this afternoon, and set up an end-of-round championship battle against Harbour View at the National Stadium on Sunday.
By winning eight of their 10 matches, Harbour View assured themselves of the number one spot and a 24-point tally that cannot be matched in this round, which ends today with a full fixture.
EXPECTED TO SEAL SPOT
Given the fact that four teams are still in contention for a place in Sunday's final, four of the games are set to begin at 3:00 p.m. The only discrepancy pertains to the Montego Bay derby between Wadadah and Seba United, which is set to kick-off at 5:30 p.m. at Jarrett Park.
The other scheduled game between Rivoli and Boys' Town at Spanish Town Prison Oval has been shifted to next week due to violence in the Old Capital.
When the whistle sounds for that kick-off, Arnett, who are playing at home, are expected to have already sealed their spot for the trophy and money game against Harbour View, by beating bottom-of-the-table Spring, who have eked out a measly four points in 10 contests.
The Junglists are second on 17 points, one ahead of a trio of clubs that also have a chance of playing in the first-round final - a showdown pitting the two teams with the most points in the initial preliminary competition.
CHAMPIONSHIP AT STAKE
After pegging their way back from a 0-2 deficit to tie Portmore United on Sunday, Jerome Waite, Arnett's coach, said: "The end-of-round final is something that every team in contention wants to achieve and if we don't get there it will certainly be a setback."
Arnett and the contending teams are also in the race for the overall championship that will be decided on a straight league format this season, which means no team will be letting up. Plenty of players have been scoring for Arnett this season with Kevin Wilson, Kwame Richardson and new recruits Greg Taylor and Conry Hall being the most notable.
A winning result would keep them safely ahead of the other teams, but any other result would place Arnett's hopes in jeopardy as a win for Tivoli, Portmore or Waterhouse would launch them ahead of the Junglists by two points.
All have difficult fixtures. Tivoli Gardens are taking the long trip to Trelawny to face Village United who, with 14 points, have a minute chance of making the final.
Waterhouse are heading east to face Harbour View; while Portmore face a less difficult fixture at home against steady Westmoreland team Reno, who also may be burdened by having to travel the farthest.
Having said that though, Reno have not lost a single match on the road this season and remain on 13 points.
Playing on the road or at home has not made a difference for Constant Spring who are being coached by head director Danny Lyn, after Everton Bender threw in the towel without winning a match in the first eight rounds.
Spring's diminutive striker, Jermaine Richards, and the Brown twins Colin and Carl, who are full of fight are major prospects.
GREAT MOTIVATION
However, scoring has been their major problem and Lyn attested to this sore point after losing Sunday at Village.
"We should have won but we did not have the cutting edge upfront," he admitted.
Despite the fact that they are at opposite ends of the table, Constant Spring have always been a tough nut for Arnett to crack.
They also have great motivation as they are already faced with an almighty battle to stave off relegation, which makes virtually every match from this stage almost like a final.
STANDINGS
| P | W | L | D | GF | GA | | GD | Pts |
| Harbour View | 10 | | 8 | 2 | 0 | 17 | | 6 | +11 | 24 |
| Arnett Gardens | 10 | | 5 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 10 | | +3 | 17 |
| Portmore | 10 | | 3 | 0 | 7 | 15 | 9 | | +6 | 16 |
| Tivoli Gardens | 10 | | 5 | 4 | 1 | 16 | 11 | | +5 | 16 |
| Waterhouse | 10 | | 4 | 2 | 4 | | 9 | | 9 | | | 0 | | 16 |
| Village United | 10 | | 3 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 10 | | +3 | 14 |
| Reno | 10 | | 3 | 3 | 4 | | 9 | | 7 | | +2 | | 13 |
| Boys' Town | 10 | | 2 | 3 | 5 | | 9 | | 9 | | | 0 | 11 |
| Wadadah | 10 | | 3 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 17 | | | -7 | 11 |
| Rivoli United | 10 | | 2 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 17 | | | -7 | 10 |
| Seba United | 10 | | 2 | 6 | 2 | 11 | 18 | | | -7 | 8 |
| C/Spring | 10 | | 0 | 6 | 4 | | 7 | 16 | | | -9 | 4 |
TODAY'S GAMES
Arnett Gardens vs Constant Spring - Tony Spaulding Sports Complex: 3:00 p.m.
Wadadah vs Seba - Jarrett Park: 5:30 p.m.
Tivoli Gardens vs Village United - Elliston Wakeland: 3:00 p.m
Waterhouse vs Harbour View - Harbour View Mini-Stadium: 3:00 p.m.
Portmore vs Reno at Ferdie Neita Park:
3:00 p.m.
