Harbour View, Tivoli set agenda for NPL clash
published: Sunday | May 4, 2003

Nicholas, left, and Taylor

Nodley Wright, Staff Reporter

WITH JUST the final round of matches to be played and the four semi-finalists already decided, it would appear as if there is not much in today's full fixture of matches.

That, for at least two of the teams engaged in action today, is not the case. Harbour View, who journey to Railway to meet former champions Tivoli Gardens in one of the matches that are all set to kick-off at 3:30p.m., would want to continue in the rich vein of form they have shown ahead of semi-finals.

On Wednesday last despite not fielding their strongest line-up they hammered the improving Rivoli, a team which have had the better of Tivoli Gardens this season, 5-0.

"The good thing about it (the team's performance at this time) is that the players are still motivated enough to take these games seriously," said Harbour View coach Donovan Hayles about today's game.

"Our plan right now is to show the mental aspect of our football," he continued. "The players have responded well and there will always be little grey areas where improvement is needed."

In today's game Hayles will take the same approach he has taken for the past three games, that of resting some of his key players.

Today though that approach will be guided by necessity as captain Damion Stewart and forward Fabian Taylor would have just returned last night from South Africa and would not have fully recovered for the Tivoli Game.

Additionally, midfield maestro Jermaine Hue will again be given a chance to recharge his batteries for the semi-final round as will goalkeeper Leon Gordon who will be replaced by Leeroy Gray for the third game in succession.

Tivoli Gardens, according to their coach Mark Mendel, cannot afford to end the season on a less than positive note.

"This is a pride game and we will do what is necessary for us to win," said Mendel, whose team was destabilised by long-term injuries to key players at a crucial point of the season.

"There are two things that we would like to focus on in this game. First of all we want to end the season on good note. After our last match against Reno we have been putting things together," added Mendel.

While Tivoli Gardens will be welcoming back a less than 100 per cent fit forward and leading scorer Christopher Nicholas, youngsters such as Sheldon Palmer and Lenworth Hyde Jnr. will again be called upon.

Nicholas' regular strike partner Roland Dean is still nursing an injury and according to Mendel will not be sacrificed. Stalwart Defender Marco McDonald has been steadily regaining his feet and should again be featured.

"The injuries that we have been having for the past four months with a number of our key players have impacted negatively against us," Mendel bemoaned.

At Jarrett Park, Hazard United will take on the slumping Seba United in their final warm up before their semi-final date with Village United, who themselves will be engaged in a game against the relegated Bull Bay.

Arnett Gardens, who hit six in their last game against Wadadah, will again want to test their shooting boots, against Rivoli United at the Spanish Town Prison Oval.

In other more or less meaningless fixtures, Reno and Wadadah meet at Frome Sports Complex while Constant Spring and Wadadah will go at it at Constant Spring.

TODAY'S GAMES: