Seba lead Axum 5-1 after the first leg in St. Mary while Reno drew 1-1 with Mt. Salem but will have homefield advantage today.
Additionally, the Mt. Salem team is still mourning the killing of their manager Eugene 'Fat Eye' Parkinson and the hospitalisation of their coach Emerson 'Diggy' Henry. Both men were shot several times during an attack just metres away from where the team was training on Monday afternoon in Ironshore, Montego Bay.
Reno and Seba, who combined for five National Premier League titles between 1986 and 1996, were given a second chance to get into the NPL after the JFF discontinued the National A League at the end of the last season and named the teams the top seeds in the competition.
Fourteens teams, the demoted NPL teams, the teams in the A League and the Confederation winners were given the chance to play off in a home-and-away elimination format for places in the NPL next season.
The winners are however not guaranteed a place in the island's top league however after the JFF announced that only teams with a secure homefield and a solid bank account would be allowed to take part in the league.
Seba, with their big lead, are expected to turn back the challenges of Axum but Mt. Salem, despite the tragedy that struck the team this week, could still give Reno some work.
Hopeton Gilchrist, who was assistant to Henry, is expected to take over the team that should still be traumatised from the incident where dozens of bullets were fired not too far from where they were warming down.
All things being even, Mt. Salem would have been given a good chance to pull off a surprise as they frustrated a much better Reno team throughout the first leg.
Henry's guile was obvious as after being put under pressure in the first 20 minutes by Reno, the long-time coach made a couple changes which effectively shut out the Westmoreland team.
If Gilchrist can get the same commitment today, he will also have to worry about who will score for the team as none of the players looked likely to strike at any time last week.
None of the four strikers used in the game came close to getting by Reno's goalkeeper Aaron Lawrence and their only goal came from the penalty spot.
For Reno to claim the NPL place, they too must get the ball into the back of Warren Barrett's goal. They were only able to convert one of many chances created and with top striker Kirk Wright a likely non-starter with a non-football related injury, the onus will fall to Shane Edwards, Pete Campbell, Delvano Brown and Steve Morris.
Paul A. Reid
staff reporter
