Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer
Wendell Downswell ... coach of Reno.- file and
Waterhouse coach Barrington Gaynor - Anthony Minott/Freelance Photographer
After years in the Wray and Nephew national Premier League doldrums, Reno Football Club of Westmoreland, once the pride of western Jamaica, have begun to serve notice that they are legitimate challengers for the league title.
While no business interest in the island's most westerly parish have stepped up to provide the finances which coach Wendell Downswell said will guarantee them victory, the team which now plays their matches in St Elizabeth are head to head with the top two teams, Waterhouse and Harbour View.
Today at 6:00 p.m. Reno will have the opportunity to show that their challenge is for real. They will go up against defending champions and current leaders, Waterhouse, in their backyard. If coach Wendell Downswell is to be believed, and he usually can be, his charges are more than ready to deliver.
no fear
"We will be at full strength and based on our form right now we have no fear of anybody," a calmly confident Downswell, who previously conditioned the national team.
"The Reno/Waterhouse matchup is always a good one and we are quite confident despite the fact that we are playing them on their home ground," added Downswell.
Things could not be more stacked in Reno's favour as the defending champions are like the walking wounded. No fewer than eight of their players are injured and a ninth, forward Kevin Lamey is away on trial in Malaysia. Demonstrating the qualities he did as a player, Barrington Gaynor sees this disadvantage as even more reason to fight.
"We have about eight or nine people out such as Desmond Breakenridge, Oneil Thomas, Garfield Reid, Vincent Earle, Weston Forrest, Damion Williams, Michael Stone, English could also miss out, while Lamey is still in Malaysia, but we have a very strong squad," Gaynor explained.
The available players, he said, could not be more pumped up for this game.
"They are eagerly anticipating the game and we expect a good competitive matchup as Reno are the hottest team in the competition right now," said Gaynor giving the visitors credit.
Among the players he is expected to count on today are Brian Wollaston, Demar Phillips, Roberto Fletcher, Narado Jenkinson, Craig White, goalkeeper Richard McCallum and Marco McDonald.
Reno on the other hand will be looking to Kendrie Quarrie, the cannonball-shooting Kirk Wright, Ricardo Scott, Fabian Blake and the commanding Dwayne Kerr in goal.
"We will aim for three points but if we cannot get all three points we will settle for one," was Downswell's parting shot on the game, while Gaynor foresaw nothing but a win.
"We definitely expect a positive result. We played them before away and drew 1-1. We were expected to win that one and we drew. Based on what is happening with our team now we are expected to lose so we will win," Gaynor reasoned.
In the opening game of the Waterhouse Mini-Stadium double-header, Boys' Town will serve the second of their two-game home ban when they tackle Village United away. The Red Brigade have suffered back to back 0-2 losses and will need to summon all of their reputed fighting spirit to stave off Village United. Village United on the other hand should have happy memories of this ground as when they last played there, they ended the unbeaten run of the defending champions.
At the Tony Spaulding Sports Complex, Arnett Gardens are expected to return to winning ways when they meet a Seba United team struggling to stay above the relegation dogfight. While Seba United will be journeying to Kingston, their neighbours Wadadah will have to do some travelling of their own as they will head to the neighbouring parish of Trelawny to host Harbour View at the Elliston Wakeland Centre, until a home field materialises in St James.
