By Paul A. Reid, Senior Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
THE GAME between the league's only two remaining unbeaten teams, defending champions Arnett Gardens and Trelawny's Village United at the Anthony Spalding Sports Complex, starting at 3:00 p.m. will highlight this afternoon's eighth round of matches in the Wray and Nephew National Premier League.
Arnett took over the lead in the standings on Sunday after beating promoted Bull Bay 3-0 and are on 16 points from six matches, three more than Village who have played seven matches.
Second placed Hazard, also on 16 points, will be hoping to return to their winning ways when they travel to Constant Spring (seven points) while third placed Harbour View will journey to the Prison Oval in Spanish Town to face Rivoli United.
Village have looked solid all season and, except for two drawn games at home, should have been in the top two in the standings. Village showed their mettle just over a week ago when they took a point coming from behind at Tivoli Gardens and will be hoping for at least a similar result today.
Arnett Gardens will be going all out for their fourth straight win at home and are expected to be at full strength but should be warned they cannot take the same relaxed approach against Village that they had in their past two games.
The champions have scored eight goals in their past two outings, a 5-2 mauling of Wadadah and the romp over Bull Bay, but will find Village to be a tougher and more resilient team.
The Arnett strike trio of Walter Boyd, Kevin Wilson and Kwame Richardson along with the attacking Jonathon Williams and Cornel Chin-Sue are a seasoned bunch and could take over the game at any time.
Village are no fresh rookie team and have experience in the likes of midfielder Winston Anglin, Thomas Grant, Kirk Hendricks, Shane Crawford and Mark Williams along with the impressive youngsters Dwayne Cole, Jermaine Anderson and Omar Nelson.
Hazard were lucky not to concede their second loss of the season when they drew 0-0 against a Tivoli Gardens team which had the better of chances on Sunday.
Today, Hazard should have the better of a Constant Spring team that is coming off a surprise loss at Reno.
National invitee Sean Sawyers had an outstanding afternoon in goal for Hazard but is expected to see a lot less action as the Hazard defence should be able to contain a Constant Spring team which has managed to score just six goals this season.
Kirk Ramsey, Andrew Morrison and Rosen Nelson will lead the Hazard attack with Kevin Deer, who managed to miss two easy chances after replacing Morrison on Sunday, also a serious threat.
Harbour View were happy to come away with a point from Village on Sunday but will be hunting maximum points against Rivoli who sputtered at Jarrett Park, allowing Wadadah to escape with their first win of the season.
In Montego Bay, arch-rivals and former champions Seba United and Wadadah will meet for the first time in the National Premier League (NPL) in two seasons when they clash in the much-anticipated Montego Bay derby at Jarrett Park, starting at 6:00 p.m.|
TODAY'S GAMES
Tivoli Gardens vs Waterhouse - Railway Oval
Bull Bay vs Reno - Harbour View
Rivoli vs Harbour View - Prison Oval
Seba United vs Wadadah - Jarrett Park - 6:00 p.m.
Arnett Gardens vs Village - Tony Spalding Sports Complex
Constant Spring vs Hazard - Constant Spring
All games except the Seba vs Wadadah match will start at 3:00.
