Tivoli, Arnett in big clash
published: Sunday | September 28, 2003

From left, Barnes, Waite (Arnett's coach), and Chisholm

Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer

A CLASH between year to year rivals Tivoli Gardens and Arnett Gardens is always one to look forward to on the local football schedule.

This season is no different and again this fixture is the headline of the weekend's matches.

What is different about this clash though is that despite the fact that the season is early, both teams which are traditional powerhouses are trying to keep abreast of the competition.

"You always have to have a positive mindset. A win would be a good result but a point would be good also based on the position that we are in," said Tivoli Gardens coach Glendon "Admiral" Bailey whose team will have the home advantage today.

MAIN OBJECTIVE

"The main objective is to avoid three straight losses," he continued.

After starting positively with a 2-0 win over Village United away from home, the youthful Tivoli Gardens team, playing without Marco McDonald, Craig White, Steve Green, Edsel Scott, the newly-signed Ian Goodison and Christopher Nicholas, suffered 1-2 and 0-1 losses to defending champions Portmore United and Constant Spring respectively. Those results, outside of the pride of not losing to each other make today's game even more crucial.

"All games are crucial. We dropped six points in the first three games and we need to stop doing that. Yes we are playing Arnett Gardens but I will not get caught up in the hype of the rivalry between Arnett and Tivoli. We started well but lost two games in a row we want to put an end to that and win this one.

EXPERIENCE AND LEADERSHIP

"It just happens that Arnett Gardens are the team we are playing now but whoever we will approach it with the same attitude," Bailey explained.

He is still expecting a lot from his team which will be looking to Kasai Hinds, Marvin Morgan and Andrew Chisholm to provide them with experience and leadership. Lenworth Hyde Jnr will be counted on to supply the passes for the front pair of Roland Dean and Darren Virtue. Despite their losses Bailey said he cannot fault their effort.

"From the season started we had the same lads. They are playing well but we are not finishing. Hopefully for this game we will get that right and put the ball in the back of the net," he said.

The fact that a number of key players are missing will not be used as an excuse.

"Of course we are handicapped by the injuries and the unavailability of certain players but I do not coach names. I coach players in a team.

Like Bailey Arnett Gardens' Jerome Waite would be satisfied with coming away from the Railway encounter with a point.

"We will be going down there looking for a point. If we get three points it would be great," Waite said.

"Yes, one could say we should be looking for more than a point because Tivoli Gardens are not at their strongest at this time but we are not the strongest either," continued Waite.

In terms of their games so far, Arnett Gardens are just a little better off than Tivoli Gardens. In fact, Arnett are just ahead of Tivoli Gardens by a point. "We were off to a late start in the pre-season as a lot of players were not around so we had to work with who we had available," said Waite.

TRADITIONAL LATE-COMERS

Among those who are not available are the traditional late-comers Everton Bunsie and Kevin Wilson who led the team in scoring last season. Arnett Gardens have also suffered from the migration of midfielders Jermaine Benjamin to Portmore United and Fabian Davis to Tivoli Gardens.

Injuries too have not been kind to last season's second-placed team. In their second game of the season, a 0-4 thrashing to Seba, they lost the services of forward Ray Graham and midfielder Cornell Chin-Sue. Graham dislocated his shoulder while Chin-Sue damaged his knee. Defender Wayne Ellis is expected to fill in for Chin-Sue in central midfield.

Walter Boyd and defender Eugene Barnes are still not a hundred per cent according to Waite. It is because of these reasons why Waite is eyeing a draw.

"It will be another tough game at Railway Oval in the Tivoli Gardens backyard. We really want to leave the politics out of it but it will always play a part.

"Tivoli will be ready to play us while Arnett Gardens on the other hand will have to approach the game with an open mind. We will have to soak up the pressure that they no doubt will try to apply and then hit them on the counter," he said.

A key component for Arnett gardens today will be their concentration as according to Waite that has been a failure of his team today.

"Despite the slow start I still have them together but the key is to get the fitness level up and to keep the concentration level high."

Other games on today are Harbour View against Seba at Harbour View Mini-Stadium, Star Cosmos against Constant Spring and Rivoli up against Portmore United at Prison Oval.

TODAY'S GAMES