LAST LAP

The third and final round in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) begins this evening and the in-form Waterhouse and league leaders Montego Bay United, who also met in the final game of round two, will highlight the weekend’s fixture at Drewsland Stadium, starting at 7.

In other games, Treasure Beach play Cavalier at STETHS, Chapelton entertain Dunbeholden at Turner’s Oval, Portmore United take on Harbour View at Ferdi Neita Park and Spanish Town Police go up against Tivoli Gardens at Royal Lakes Complex. All starting at 3:30 p.m.

In another late match, Mount Pleasant host Molynes at Drax Hall at 7 p.m.

However, all eyes will be focused on Drewsland, where MoBay travel for the second time in a week.

In that last meeting, Waterhouse came away 1-0 winners, for their second win over the St James club this term.

Although playing some attractive football, taking 22 points from their last eight games, Waterhouse coach Javier Ainstein is not satisfied with his team’s conversion rate, as only twice have they netted more than one goal in that run of matches. However, Ainstein said they continue to seek ways to score more goals.

“It’s about having a currency at the moment when we are in front of the goal. We have several scoring chances in every game. Against Portmore we had two or three and that was the match we had the least scoring chances.

“MoBay (last match) we had a penalty to score and we missed. It (scoring) is one of the weaknesses we have but you have to remember that the topscorer of this team, Andre Fletcher is injured.

“Maybe the team got in the habit that Andre is the scorer, and now Andre is not able to play it is not easy to score a lot of goals but we are winning with one goal.

“But we are finding all the ways to score because we know we have it here. But in the past Andre Fletcher resolved everything and now Andre is not good to play,” he reasoned.

Waterhouse are fifth in the table on 40 points, one ahead of Cavalier, with Tivoli further back in seventh on 33 points, and Ainstein said it’s important to continue winning as the battle for the top six intensifies.

“We are driving and looking in the (rearview) mirror at Cavalier, who are just behind us. But Portmore, when they look in the mirror we are there. It’s the same for every team.

“Everybody is trying to win and they know who is behind. But I am happy to compete in the fifth position,” he commented.

Xavier Gilbert, Montego Bay United coach, has seen his team win just once in their last five matches, which culminated with their defeat to Waterhouse in the last round of games. Although not too concerned, he says they are addressing the issues that are causing the recent results.

“Once you don’t win games, you are concerned but not too perturbed, as we have been performing well.

“There are issues we have to resolve of course and we are addressing them and we need to bounce back and bounce back well,” he said.

“We have been creating goalscoring opportunities and failing to convert and we are just trying to fix that as we go along.

“They (Waterhouse) are a revived team. They press and counter press a lot and hit in transition and we will have to curtail that.”

He also emphasised the importance of winning at this stage, as a defeat this afternoon could see Racing overtake them.

“It’s important that we get back on track. We need something out of the game. It’s not going to be easy, but we have to exploit any weakness on offer and ensure we get away with something.

“We don’t want to be scrambling later on. It’s the third round and some are fighting relegation, some are fighting for the playoffs and some are fighting for the top spots,” he said.

MoBay lead the league on 51 points, followed by Racing on 48, Mount Pleasant 46 and Portmore on 44.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com

Today’s Games

Treasure Beach vs Cavalier at STETHS - 3:30 p.m.

Chapelton vs Dunbeholden at Turner’s Oval – 3:30 p.m.

Portmore vs Harbour View at Ferdi Neita Park – 3:30 p.m.

Spanish Town Police vs Tivoli Gardens at Royal Lakes Complex – 3:30 p.m.

Mount Pleasant vs Molynes at Drax Hall - 7 p.m.

Waterhouse vs MoBay at Waterhouse Stadium - 7 p.m.