Champions season on the line against Racing

With three rounds of matches to go in the Jamaica Premier League’s (JPL) regular season, Cavalier and Racing United will be looking to cement their places in the playoffs alongside Montego Bay United, Mount Pleasant, Portmore United, and Waterhouse.

However, both could affect each other’s chances of sealing a top-six berth, as they face off at Stadium East at 4 p.m., today.

MoBay (71 points), Mount Pleasant (65), Portmore (62), and Waterhouse (59) cannot be surpassed by any of the teams outside the top six.

The closest challengers, seventh-placed Arnett Gardens, are 10 points behind Waterhouse and can only get to 58 points.

Fifth-placed Racing (56) could seal their place with a win today as their seven-point lead on Arnett would secure their playoff place with two rounds of matches remaining.

Cavalier, who are three points above Arnett in sixth place, find themselves in a more vulnerable position than their opponents.

Defeat for the champions would open the gates for Arnett, who could join them on points, if they can win against Portmore.

Cavalier assistant coach David Laylor noted that they still hold sixth spot and the intention is to stay there.

“We are still in a favourable position and all we have to do is maintain it, and I believe we will maintain it at the end of the day and come in the top six.

“So we are in the top six. What we have to do is don’t lose any more games. It boils down to that, just maintain the position inside the top six,” he said.

After just one point from their last four matches, Racing coach Anthony Patrick said his team just needs to cement their berth, but that they must improve ahead of the playoffs.

“We have to shrug ourselves off. We have three games to go. Just need two points to put us in the top six.

“We are safe. Maybe we don’t have to get another point, but we have to brush ourselves off and clean ourselves up and get ready and start playing again.

“We just have to keep working and hope some luck will shine our way and the players start converting those chances,” he said.

Meanwhile, Arnett knows nothing but a win will keep them in the race for a playoff place, but they have a difficult task against third-placed Portmore, who have won three of their last four.

Nevertheless, Arnett assistant coach, Dicoy Williams, believes in their chances to make the playoffs.

“We have to believe. The season is not over. This game (win over Cavalier) push us a little bit more, but we have to keep the guys grounded.

“Let them know the season hasn’t ended until the last game. We still have a chance. We just have to believe and see if we can take it to the last game,” he commented.

Meanwhile, in the battle for survival Harbour View (33), who slipped into the relegation zone after Treasure Beach’s surprise win over Waterhouse midweek, will have an arduous task getting three points from leaders MoBay.

Treasure Beach (34) will have a much more manageable task against Dunbeholden, but the St Catherine side still have a slim chance of a playoff berth and will want to keep that chance alive as long as possible, and will also be looking for a win.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com