Waterhouse hunt crucial points in JPL
Published:Saturday | August 14, 2021 | 12:09 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
With four games to go in the preliminary round of the Jamaica Premier League (JPL), the Waterhouse camp is expressing concern with their current eighth place in the points standings.
The Drewsland-based team has seven points from six games and are seven points off the lead but just two off a play-off spot.
Assistant coach Damion Gordon said the team is squandering too many chances, coupled with the fact that they have failed to defend leads after going ahead in two of their past three matches.
With the play-offs drawing near, Gordon is hoping they can start to get it right, starting with high-riding Mount Pleasant in the second game of the JPL double-header at the UWI/Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence this afternoon at 2:30.
In the opening game, Cavalier take on Molynes United at noon.
“We have to work on our conversion and put away our chances and when we do, it is about staying compact. How we organise around the back and the positions we take up on the field need attention. We are working on it, so gradually you will see improvement,” Gordon said.
“But sitting sixth with only a few rounds remaining is a bit disturbing,” he said.
“It is a concern but one of our main objectives is to get into the top six and I think we are slowly making progress,” he added.
FAST IMPROVING OPPONENTS
The Marcel Gayle-coached team will find that win hard to achieve today, however, as they will be up against a fast-improving Mount Pleasant. The St Ann-based club has two wins and a draw since Englishman Walter Downes took charge over three matches ago and have climbed to third in the table on 11 points. Downes, who played without two of his main target men last week due to injuries, is hoping that both Francois Swaby and Kesslon Hall will return to boost their attack.
“Francois has a strange injury. He was doing some individual finishing on his own and got a bad twist. We hope the ligaments are not strained too much. He had a scan and we are awaiting those results,” he told The Gleaner.
“Kesslon’s ankles have been aggravated by the hard surface (at UWI), as well as the training area has irritated it slightly. But with a few days rest, he will hopefully be ready for selection,” he added.
In the other game, fourth-place Cavalier oppose ninth-place Molynes United.
Last weekend Molynes registered their first win of the competition to move to six points and will be hoping to pick up another three points.
However, in their last two games, Cavalier have given up late goals and had to settle for a point and assistant coach Everdean Scarlett is demanding better concentration from his players.
“It is all about concentration. If you cannot concentrate for 90 minutes, you are going to give up late goals.
“These are young boys and this is still a learning process for them but we have to learn how to concentrate,” he insisted.
“However, we are still in it (play-offs). At this point we are in fourth and we are pressing on because we are looking to be in the final,” he added.
Cavalier have nine points from six games.