Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer
Boys' Town's Troy Dawes (left) and Arnett Gardens' Conry Hall will once again be in action for their clubs today. Dawes will reunite with old foes Seba United at Jarrett Park while Hall will get a taste of the first 'Gardens' derby of the year - Arnett versus Tivoli at Tony Spaulding Sports Complex. - RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE SPECTATORS who stayed away for a good part of last season should be fighting to get inside the Elliston Wakeland Sports Complex today despite the fact that the match is a midweek one and that daCosta Cup games are on.
This is because Elliston Wakeland is the place to be right now with Harbour View, the leaders in the Wray and Nephew National Premier League, challenging the team generating the most excitement right now, hosts Village United. Game time is 3:30.
In their past three games Village have won one and drawn two while scoring eight goals. The picture in their previous three was quite different as they drew two and lost and were scoreless. With this turnaround, coach Dr. Dean Weatherly, his staff and players have reason to be even more positive.
"The mood is good now considering where they are coming from and the performance in the last game where we came from 0-2 down to draw with Rivoli," Weatherly told The Gleaner.
TOUGH GAME
And he is trying to get them to lift their game even higher. "Right now we are trying to get the team in workmanlike mood against Harbour View as it will be a tough game against a well-coached unit who are the leaders in the round," added Weatherly, whose team is at the bottom of the top half of the table.
The goal for Village right now is to get to the end-of-first-round final but Weatherly was quick to point out that this does not mean looking past Harbour View. If they are to get by the east Kingston team, then they will have to produce a similar performance to the one which dismantled the high-riding Waterhouse.
PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP
In that win the popular and productive partnership of Fabian Dawkins, who has scored seven of Village's eight goals, and Teofore Bennett, in the role of provider, was crucial. Today they will have to be even better. But Dawkins and Bennett are not the only ones bubbling for Village right now. Even before they started scoring they showed signs of danger with a leaner Shane Crawford looking serious.
There were also good performances by Athol Franklyn, Leon Irving, Collin Williams, Nicardo Folkes and Troy Smith. Add to that group midfielder Ian McAnuff and attackers Newton and Christopher Sterling (no relations) and Village look even more dangerous.
"Right now everyone is gelling together and the harmony is good. Harbour View should be in for a fight," was Weatherly's parting shot.
Harbour View, however, have never backed from a fight. The fact that they are leading the competition despite the departure of a number of key players and the absence of others due to late return and other engagements is testament to their fighting power and ability to reinvent themselves. Coach Donovan Hayles knows what to expect today.
DIFFICULT TASK
"I know it will be a very difficult task owing to the fact that we are playing at Village," Hayles said.
What could be a disadvantage for most teams could be an advantage for Harbour View, as we have a good record away from home. In their six matches, the only loss was to Portmore at the Harbour View Mini-Stadium.
"We have a good record there (Elliston Wakeland) but our success is down to hard work based on the fact that the field is quite big. The surface is also a challenge and there is sometimes the wind which affects play," Hayles explained.
One drawback for Harbour View today could be the fact that they are going into battle without one of their biggest guns, forward Luton Shelton. The promising young player, who scored for Jamaica at the weekend in a 2-1 win over Guatemala, picked up a slight injury.
While not having the same strike rate for club as he does for country, Shelton has always troubled defences with his pace and goal-poaching tendencies which creates opportunities for others. But Hayles does not appear overly worried by his absence.
COMING TO GRIPS
"What is good is that others are stepping up such as Richard West and Leon Strickland while Kevin King has been coming to grips with the competition," Hayles offered.
Captain Lovel Palmer, the leading goalscorer before Dawkins took over, has been inspirational from his right midfield position. The central defensive partnership of Alex Thomas and Jermaine Taylor has looked good and leftback Orville Campbell has done well on both ends of the field.
Whatever the outcome, this one should be a cracker.
Other games on what should be an exciting day's play are the battle of the promoted teams, Boys' Town and Seba United, at Jarrett Park; the Garden Party between Arnett Gardens and Tivoli Gardens at Tony Spaulding Sports Complex and the Rivoli/Waterhouse clash at Prison Oval. The Portmore/Waterhouse game will almost certainly be another three points for the defending champions and Reno, too, should collect another three from Constant Spring at Frome.
TODAY'S GAMES
Seba United vs Boys' Town at Jarrett Park
Arnett Gardens vs Tivoli Gardens at Tony Spaulding Sports Complex
Portmore United vs Wadadah at Ferdie Neita Park
Reno vs Constant Spring at Frome
Village United vs Harbour View at Elliston Wakeland Centre
Rivoli United vs Waterhouse at Prison Oval.
STANDINGS
| | P | W | D | L | GF | | GA | GD | Pts |
| Harbour View | | 6 | 5 | 0 | | 1 | | 13 | | | | 5 | | | 8 | 15 |
| Waterhouse | 6 | 4 | | 0 | | 2 | | | | 7 | | | 7 | | | 0 | 12 |
| Portmore | 6 | 2 | | 4 | | 0 | | | | 6 | | | | 3 | | | 3 | 10 |
| Arnett Gardens | | 6 | | 3 | 1 | | 2 | | | | 6 | | | | 5 | | | 1 | 10 |
| Tivoli Gardens | | 6 | 3 | 1 | | 2 | | | | 6 | | | 5 | | | 1 | 10 |
| Village | 6 | 1 | | 4 | | 1 | | | | 8 | | | | 6 | | | 2 | 7 |
| Boys' Town | | 5 | 1 | 3 | | 1 | | | | 4 | | | | 3 | | | 1 | 6 |
| Rivoli | | 6 | | 1 | | 3 | | 2 | | | | 6 | | | | 8 | | | -2 | 6 |
| Reno | 4 | 1 | 1 | | 2 | | | | 3 | | 3 | | | 0 | 4 |
| Seba | | 6 | | 1 | | 1 | | 4 | | | | 7 | 11 | | | -4 | 4 |
| Wadadah | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | | | 6 | | 12 | | -6 | 4 |
| Constant Spring | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | | | | 2 | | | 6 | | | -4 | 3 |
