KO showdown at Stadium

Melton Williams, Staff Reporter

ANOTHER chapter in the fairytale performance of Major League teams Real Mona and Bull Bay in this year's KSAFA/Red Label Wine Jackie Bell KO opens at the National Stadium today with a doubleheader to decide the finalists.

Real Mona will tackle Premier League champions Harbour View in the first match at 3:00 and Bull Bay and Constant Spring will square-off at 5:00.

The Cinderella teams have been enjoying a dream run against A League and Premiership teams in the Corporate Area knockout championships and, after last Wednesday's giant-killing performances, they are now branded as serious contenders.

On paper, the first game looks to be a mismatch. In fact, it can be described as a David vs Goliath affair for the simple reason that Harbour View are a cut above Real Mona, who are one from the bottom in the Major League.

However, the same could have been said about the quarter-final match between Real Mona and Premier League contender Tivoli Gardens. In the end, Real Mona pulled off a stunning 1-0 triumph.

Harbour View's general manager Clyde Jureidini is well aware of giant-killers Real Mona, who have also eliminated Major League bigwigs Shortwood and Boys' Town.

Jureidini said: "They obviously have done well in this competition to beat no less an opponent than Tivoli Gardens at Tivoli.

"We can't afford to even for a moment, take them lightly as is the nature in knockout competitions. That is a recipe for failure," said Jureidini.

Harbour View, who brushed aside hyped-up Arnett Gardens 4-2 in their quarter-final game on Thursday, will be affected by the absence of some top players. Wolde Harris is on the injured list and is unlikely to play. Tyrone Marshall is off the island and Damani Ralph and Nicholas McCreath have returned to college.

Real Mona's run of success has heightened the confidence in the camp, said coach Michael "Bedi" Walker.

"Their confidence level is very, very high and they believe then can beat anyone. But it also depends on what Harbour View is doing. Goals win matches. We got one good chance against Tivoli and scored. Tivoli got a lot of chances and missed," said Walker.

"It will boil down to who take their chances on the day," he said.

Goalkeeper Gary Gooden, who kept against Tivoli, will be out through injury. There is a possibility Real Mona will have the services of their National Under-17 players Conrad Hunte and Demar Stewart as they should break camp on match day.

There are strong indications the second game between Constant Spring, who are fifth in the overall Premier League standings, and Major League second placed Bull Bay could go either way.

Bull Bay's coach Barrington Gaynor, who also plays for Harbour View, said: "I'm hoping my team is well motivated to play this game. Some times you can get a little complacent because you feel that you've already achieved because you've gotten this far."

Gaynor said his team's chances would be affected by the absence of captain Andrew Williams and his brother Richard Ennis, both red carded in Wednesday's game.

"That will definitely affect our chances but we have Davian Laing returning, he didn't play against Olympic. However, we're certainly going to miss the leadership of Andrew Williams, who is also our leading goalscorer," said Gaynor.

Danny Lyn, coach of Consant Spring, said a repeat its quarter-final performance would could be disastrous for his team; which last year tagged Bull Bay 1-0 and went on to beat Tivoli by the same scoreline in the final.

However, Lyn said "our intention is to retain and defend the Jackie Bell title. We had a horrible game against Waterhouse, we have to correct all the mistakes we made. We have a lot of respect for Bull Bay, therefore we will not be taking them lightly."

TODAY'S GAMES

At the National Stadium