Nodley Wright, Freelance WriterPORTMORE UNITED will probably have the most at stake this afternoon when the Wray and Nephew Cup knockout competition kicks off with two first-leg games.
At Elleston Wakeland Centre, Village United will host Tivoli Gardens, while Portmore United will play away to Boys' Town at Collie Smith Drive.
Up for grabs in this competition among the top eight finishers in the recently concluded Wray and Nephew National Premier League (NPL) besides the Cup, are $400,000 for the winners, $250,000 for the runners-up and $100,000 for the losing semi-finalists. The Losing quarter-finalists will pocket $50,000, while other rewards will be given for fair play, leading goalscorer, most valuable player and winning coach.
NATIONAL COMPETITIONS
After being the most dominant football club in the country last season when they won the NPL and the Red Stripe President's Cup KO, the St. Catherine-based team is in danger of finishing trophy-less in national competitions. Portmore's task today will not be an easy one.
"This game is crucial. Boys' Town have been playing well all season and have been formidable opponents not just for us but for every team they have faced," Portmore's coach Paul Young said of his side's opponents. In three games between both teams this season, the less fancied Boys' Town have won once while the other two were drawn.
The fact that the game is being played at Collie Smith Drive, the home of Boys' Town, should be seen as a disadvantage for Portmore United as Boys' Town are yet to lose there this season. This, Boys' Town intend to capitalise on.
"The fact that the game is being played at Collie Smith Drive is an advantage for us and we have to make use of it," said Lloyd 'Respic' Morgan, a Boys' Town stalwart and team advisor.
"The last time we played we drew 0-0 but we had the better chances and should have won the game," he said.
With this being a knock-out competition played over two legs, Morgan said it was vital for his team to go into the return leg on Wednesday with goals in the bag. As such, the team, he said, would be counting on forwards George Vernal and Denzil Watson to put away the chances.
Portmore, on the other hand, will be trying to come away with at least a draw.
"We are going to go there and give 100 per cent. We want to score at least one goal and not give up any," explained Young, who will have to do without the services of midfielders Omar Daley, Wolry Wolfe, Carlington Smith and forward Roen Nelson who are all playing abroad.
Despite those absences, Young believes he still has enough talent at his disposal to get the job done.
"We still have quality players in Kevin Deerr, Mario Swaby, Kemeel and Rafe Wolfe, Anthony Modeste and Demar Sewart. These are people who have won games for us in the past," he said.
ELLESTON WAKELAND CENTRE FIXTURE
In the Elleston Wakeland Centre fixture, Tivoli Gardens will be attempting to have the better of Village United for the first time this season. According to manager Brian Rose, Tivoli Gardens set themselves the target of winning two trophies this season and having won the Red Stripe President's Cup KO, they are half way there.
"To me, the thing with us is that every season we come upon a team which is a jinx to us. Once it was Constant Spring and now it is Village. We have to change that," Rose said.
In three games between the clubs this season, Village have won two while the other was drawn.
For Tivoli Gardens to get the better of Village United, the lively but often injured duo of Jermaine Johnson and Christopher Nicholas will have to lead the way. They should get good support from Kasai Hinds, Waheem Walker, Victor Thompson and Roland Dean while Craig Stewart, Daviean Laing and Fabian Davis will be missing.
For Village United today's game and this competition represents an opportunity for redemption. According to assistant coach Cassman Williams, the NPL season was a disappointing one and this competition represents their only chance to achieve something tangible.
"To be honest it is more like a revival thing right now. We did not finish as well as we thought we should have finished in the League. We will try to win at least one trophy, so a lot of emphasis will be placed on this competition," Williams said.
A plus for his team he said was the fact that they have a good record at home "especially against Tivoli Gardens".
A big factor in that good home record was the presence of Fabian Dawkins, who has since returned to the United States to compete in the A League. His main supplier Teofore Bennett will also be missing in action, but Williams remains optimistic.
"We played without them before and had problems scoring goals, but that was because they (the other players) were too dependent on them. There is also the situation that when we started winning at home we had all or most of our players in training so it was more than the Dawkins factor. In Newton Sterling and Omar Allen we have good players who can deliver," a hopeful Williams said.
TODAY'S GAMES
Village vs Tivoli at Elleston Wakeland
Centre - 3:30 p.m.
Boys' Town vs Portmore at Collie Smith
Drive - 3:30 p.m.
