Cavalier, Portmore unwilling to budge

THE JAMAICA Premier League (JPL) serves up another enticing contest between league leaders Cavalier and the in-form Portmore United at the Jamaica College Ashenheim Stadium this Sunday at 3p.m.

Cavalier (43 points) climbed to the top of the standings last week for the first time this season, while Portmore (35 points) broke into the top six, also for the first time.

Neither team is eager to relinquish their position in the standings and, as such, set the stage for what is expected to be a cracker.

“They are the form team. They have not lost in seven games, plus they are in the knockout, which would make it about nine (games).

“They have been making an end-of-season burst to make it up the table. But there is a reason why we are first,” Cavalier coach Rudolph Speid told The Sunday Gleaner.

He noted that, when Portmore went nine games unbeaten at the start of the season, Cavalier were the ones to break that run, and though he anticipates a much different contest, he said they are up for the challenge.

“They have Lamar Walker, Chevaughn Walsh and Alex Marshall, and these guys are doing the business. But we know Alex and Lamar well. We will have to come with the A game but we are up for it. We will not back down. We want to keep our position at first,” he said.

“We expect it to be harder than it was in the first round because they have improved. But they will have some issues with us.”

Portmore’s five wins and two draws in their last seven pushed them to 35 points, a point above Waterhouse, into sixth and just three clear of Dunbeholden in eighth and Williams emphasised that they cannot afford to lose momentum with games running out fast.

MAINTAINING FORM

“It is very important that we continue our good form. Now that we are in the top six, it is very important that we maintain the form so we can secure a play-off spot.

“Cavalier, the league leaders, are very tough to play. Tactically and technically they are good and they are well coached. But we are up for the challenge,” he said.

Williams said Portmore were well aware of their first-round meeting, but he’s confident it will be a different match this time.

“You have to be mindful of past results. That is how you prepare. But a lot of games have been played since then and when we lost to them, we were not the team that we are now.

“We are doing well at both ends of the pitch now. So it will be a different matchup and a different dimension to our play, and we will pose some questions to this Cavalier team.

“It is very important that we keep focused and try our best to keep our spot in the top six. We are running out of games, so we cannot drop the ball right now,” he said.

Meanwhile, failure by Chapelton (eight points) to get maximum points against parish rivals Humble Lion will confirm their demotion from the league.

In the meanwhile, Faulkland (11) will hope to get a win in the parish derby against Montego Bay United, and hope that Tivoli (19) lose to Waterhouse on Monday to keep their slim hopes alive.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com

Today’s games

Tomorrow’s games

- Cavalier vs Portmore at Ashenheim Stadium at 3 p.m.

- Harbour View vs Molynes at Ashenheim Stadium at 5:30 p.m.

- Humble Lion vs Chapelton at Effortville at 3 p.m.

- Monday vs Faulkland at Wespow Park at 3 p.m.

- Vere vs Mount Pleasant at Wembley Centre of Excellence at 3 p.m.

- Arnett vs Dunbeholden at Anthony Spaulding Complex at 5 p.m.

- Tivoli vs Waterhouse at Anthony Spaulding Complex at 7:30 p.m.