NPL round two kicks off today
published: Sunday | October 10, 2004

Howard Walker, Staff Reporter

THE SECOND round of the Wray and Nephew National Premier League is on today with a full slate of matches.

The games between Wadadah and Reno and Arlington and Harbour View will have late kick-offs at 6:00 p.m. while the other matches will be played at 3:30 p.m.

After getting rid of the first-round jitters, in which four team secured victories, title contenders will be looking to separate themselves from the pretenders and send a strong message.

Defending champions Tivoli Gardens, Harbour View and Waterhouse were three of the favourites to gain maximum points last week while 2001 champions Arnett Gardens were shocked 1-0 by Reno at their graveyard in Frome.

Three-times champions Tivoli Gardens will invade Elliston Wakeland Centre in Trelawny when they tackle Invaders FC.

The orange and black clad Tivoli, 4-0 winners over Wadadah last week, should continue their winning ways but it won't be easy as Invaders, though lacking in fitness, are a hard-running team and will pose serious problems for the champions as they did against Harbour View.

INVADERS' AGGREGATION

Lenworth Hyde Jnr, Christopher Jackson, Steve Green, Markino Gillings and captain Kasai Hinds will have to be at their best to thwart the spirited and physically strong Invaders' aggregation. Don't be surprised if an upset is created.

Newcomers Arlington will try to halt the march 2000 champions Harbour View at the Prison Oval in Spanish Town. Arlington came from behind twice to hold neighbours Rivoli 2-2 in the Spanish Town derby. But against the 'Star from the East' it won't be easy. Free-flowing Harbour View with youngster Akiem Priestly, Jermaine Hue and Sean Fraser in the middle should prove too much for Arlington to stop the supply to Luton Sheldon and Thomas Grant.

Last year's fifth-place team, Waterhouse, should chalk up another win at the expense of Rivoli. The 1998 champions Waterhouse provided new coach Peter Cargill with his first win at the helm last week and Richard West, Demar Phillips and captain Irvino English should take care of Rivoli who finished one place below their opponents today last year.

The Bradley Stewart-led Rivoli will be hard pressed to stop 'Fire House'.

Meanwhile, three-time champions Arnett Gardens will be trying to rebound from the shock loss to Reno when they host Constant Spring at the Tony Spaulding Sport Complex.

The 2002 champions will be relying on former national player Winston Griffith, Cornel Chin-Sue, Keith Kelly and Gerald Neil to lift the team to its first win of the season. But the rebuilding Constant Spring won't be any pushover as they held Portmore United to a 0-0 draw last week. The atmosphere at the complex might be too much for Constant Spring and coach Braxton Hyre will have his hands full to contain the 'Junglists' in their backyard. The Jerome Waite-led Arnett Gardens should register their first win of the campaign.

The Portmore United versus Village United clash at the Ferdie Neita Park in Portmore will be intriguing as both teams will be hunting their first win.

FIRST WIN

The depleted and new-look Portmore United will be trying to control last year's fourth-place team Village from picking up its first win. The Lenny Hyde-coach Portmore United will encounter a very determined Village team bent on making up for their 1-0 loss to Waterhouse and this match could go either way.

The all-rural clash between three-time champions Reno of Westmoreland and Wadadah of St. James at Jarrett Park should also be interesting.

Several years ago this would be the clash of the round but not today. Reno ambushed Arnett Gardens at Frome last week and will want to show that it was no fluke with another win - this time away from home. On the other hand, Wadadah, 4-0 losers to Tivoli, will be hard to beat despite last week's scoreline as they matched the champions in every department but gave up some soft goals. The scoreline certainly didn't reflect how the game was played.

Now at home, Wadadah through their captain, Fabian Blake, who was outstanding last week, will lead the attack along with former national and Reno player Kendrie Quarrie and Dental Vidal and will prove hard to beat.

TODAY'S GAMES