Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer

FIRST-ROUND champions Portmore United could experience a strange homecoming today when they journey to Clarendon, their former home, to play new Clarendon darlings, Sporting Central, in the start of the second round of the Cash Plus Premier League (CPPL) at Brancourt. In 2003, after winning the Premier League under the banner of Hazard, who campaigned out of Clarendon, the team changed name and switched allegiance to the St. Catherine Football Association and began operating out of Portmore. That was a bitter pill to swallow and may still be.

Four years later, they will be playing on Clarendon soil for the first time against a motivated unit and coach Linval Dixon, a former Hazard player, knows what to expect.

Been a long time

"It could be a homecoming. It has been a long while since we (the team) played a Premier League game in Clarendon. It is like a derby. That will make it a tough encounter and possibly a tricky one too," said Dixon, who also played schoolboy football at Clarendon College.

As far as his team is concerned, Dixon expects his players to be ready for the game.

"They are looking forward to it. The players have tried to refocus after winning the first round on Sunday and they are pretty focused. It is a Clarendon team and a number of them are from Clarendon, so they are waiting to put on a show," said the man whose team is on 24 points, 10 ahead of their opponents.

Among the players he will be counting on to deliver victory are red-hot Ricardo Cousins, who has been finding the back of the net with regularity recently - despite playing in a defensive midfield role. Supporting him should be fellow youngster, Eric Vernan, captain Anthony Modeste, Kevin Deerr and the veteran, Onandi Lowe. Sporting Central coach Kevin Williams, a former Hazard player, said the game will mean a great deal to his team and the people of Clarendon.

"They are like the bigger brothers of Sporting Central because they campaigned out of Clarendon before us in the Premier League and a number of the players representing them now were a part of us before. Ricardo Cousins was with us for two years before heading to Portmore two years ago. Cousins, Eric Vernan, Shauntel Mundle and Seon Giveans were here too," Williams said.

Williams, who is confident that his team can overturn the 1-0 loss it encountered on the opening day of the season, does not expect the supporters to be hostile towards Portmore United.

Hard feelings

"I don't think the hard feeling is still there. I don't think people will be bullish about them. Before we got promoted, a lot of people still supported Portmore and now they support us," he said.

"I expect them (the fans) to be behind us as we go for the win that we have been training for. I know we can win this as there are 12 quality teams in the league and none can be taken for granted," said Williams, who will be looking to leading scorer Oneke Ford, midfielder Winston Griffiths, Gregg Gardner and Karl Wiggan to lead their charge.

TODAY'S GAMES

Reno	vs	Arnett Gardens at			STETHS - 3:00 p.m.
Sporting Central vs	Portmore United at			Brancourt - 3:00 p.m.
Waterhouse	vs	Seba United at			Drewsland - 4:00 p.m.
Boys' Town	vs	August Town at			Collie Smith Drive -			3:00 p.m.
Tivoli Gardens	vs	Village United at			Edward Seaga			Stadium - 5:00 p.m.
St. Georges	vs	Harbour View at			Lynch Park
		3:00 p.m.