Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer
( L - R ) BUNSIE AND SHELTON
IF HARBOUR View are to be champions of the Wray and Nephew National Premier League for the 2005-2006 season then they will have to show their championship material early.
Today they will get a test of that when they take on former champions Arnett Gardens at Tony Spaulding Sports Complex, just three days after going down to defending champions Portmore United.
In a full schedule of six matches, the 5:00p.m. clash between Arentt Gardens and Harbour View is the one that most catches the eye.
Other games of interest are the clash between Portmore United and the promoted Boys' Town at Ferdie Neita Park, Renod and Tivoli Gardens at Frome and Constant Spring versus Wadadah at Constant Spring.
Another promoted team, Seba United, will also try to put more distance between themselves and the teams in the relagation zone when they host bottom of the table Rivoli at Jarrett Park.
In Trelawny, Village, who are still the only team without a win in the competition this season, will be hard pressed to stop a Waterhouse team that is running into fine form.
BOUNCE BACK
In the match of the day, the task facing Harbour View coach Donovan Hayles is to get his palyers back on track. If he is to be believed then they are well on their way.
"In any situation one can see positives and one of the positives that we took from the game we lost to Tivoli Gardens is the fact that we played a reasonably good game," Hayles said, adding that he hoped they will bounce back.
Against Arnett Gardens, a team they have had spectator-friendly matches with in the past, they cannot go in below their best and hope to win.
"Playing Arnett at Arnett will be tough. They are never an easy team to play, even at their weakest.
"We do not expect to just show up there and take three points but it will be our intention to get them," said Hayles.
The Arnett Gardens they will come up against are full of confidence, having won three of their four games for a similar record to Harbour View, though Arnett have been winning by smaller margins.
BUBBLING
"My camp is bubbling with confidence right now as measures that we put in place have been working," a relaxed coach Michael Tuloch told The Gleaner.
"We are going in with the attitude that if we apply ourselves then the three points should be ours. We lost one game and we worked on our weak areas and since then we have been back on track, winning two games," he added.
What Harbour View could be banking on besides the blinding pace and eye for goal of forward Luton Shelton, the leadership and form of captain Lovel Palmer and the knowledge of Arnett Gardens posessed by a number of their former representatives on the Harbour View books, is their form away from home.
"We have been getting good results away from home and if we execute we can come away with the three points that we are in search of," offered Hayles. "This game is really a test of the team's mettle," he continued.
Record or no record away from home, Tulloch is confident his team will come out on top.
"We have seen Harbour View play and we know our squad is better than theirs. We have a nice blend of youth and experience, which has been working for us under the leadership of Everton Bunsie (team capatin) who stayed behind in the holidays and trained with the youngsters," said the former Jamaica striker.
So confident is Tulloch in the present formula of blending experienced players such as Bunsie, Gerald Neil, goalkeeper Julian McLeish, Jermaine Benjamin and Jonothan Williams with youngsters such as Enrico Beech and newcomers Antholow Dawkins and Greg Taylor, that he has no plans of breaking up the unit soon.
"More of our established players have been coming in from overseas, but they will not have it easy. No place is put down for anyone, they will have to work for it," he explained.
TODAY'S GAMES
Portmore United vs Boys' Town at Ferdie Neita Park (3:30)
Reno FC vs Tivoli Gardens Fc at Frome (3:30)
Constant Spring FC vs Wadadah FC at Constant Spring (3:30)
Seba United FC vs Rivoli FC at Jarrett Park
Arnett Gardens FC vs Harbour View FC at Tony Spaulding Sports Complex (5:00)
Village United FC vs Waterhouse Fc at Elleston Wakeland Centre (3:30).
POINTS STANDINGS
| Teams | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Harbour View | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 9 |
| Arnett Gardens | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 9 |
| Waterhouse | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 9 |
| Portmore | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| Tivoli Gardens | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| Boys' Town | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Reno | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Seba | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | -2 | 4 |
| Village | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 3 |
| Wadadah | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 11 | -6 | 3 |
| C Spring | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 2 |
| Rivoli | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 2 |
