Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer

AFTER MAKING relatively easy work of newcomers August Town in the first week of the 2006-2007 Wray and Nephew National Premier League, defending champions Waterhouse should have a tougher challenge on their hands today against Tivoli Gardens in what should be the highlight of the week's matches.

Matches between the two teams have always been hotly contested but this time around, Waterhouse will be heading to the Edward Seaga Stadium as champions and it will take an improved performance from Tivoli Gardens to get the better of them.

Brian Rose, manager of Tivoli Gardens, is fully aware of this.

Evenly contested

"The first game was evenly contested and the result was a fair one," Rose said of his team's opening encounter with Boys' Town, which ended 2-2.

"We now go up against the defending champions and we know it will be a very hard-fought game. Waterhouse are the defending champions and they will not want to let go of that title. If we want to do something in the league this season we will have to perform well against them," Rose reasoned.

If Tivoli Gardens are going to get the job done, they will have to do it without two of their key players in proven goal-scorer Christopher Nicholas and the very tidy defender Kasai Hinds. Their problems could have been worse with injuries to goalkeepers Leon Gordon and Damion Crooks but Edsel Scott arrived in the island in time to be registered and will start in goal for them.

Available to take the fight to Waterhouse are national representative Fabian Davis, Steve Green, Christopher Jackson, Roland Dean and Nicholas McCreath.

For today's game, Waterhouse have one minor adjustment in that Hugh Blair and Andrew Williams will no longer call the shots from the bench as coach Barrington Gaynor has returned from England armed with his UEFA B licence.

Never one to shy away from speaking his mind, Gaynor spoke confidently about his team's chances.

"I expect a very competitive game. I expect both teams to be very organised and disciplined but we hope to get a positive result from it. I am really expecting a positive result as I know the players will rise to the occasion - especially down at Tivoli Gardens," Gaynor said.

No negative effect

The fact that he has had less than a week with the team since his return on Tuesday should have no negative effect on the team, the coach said.

"They have been quite responsive to me. I coached them for two days before leaving and I think that they were anticipating my return," said the man who lifted Bull Bay three divisions in three years - ending with a National Premier League place.

Waterhouse, unlike Tivoli Gardens, will be playing with almost a full deck but for the absence of national defender Garfield Reid who suffered wasp bites and did not train all of last week.

Gaynor will have at his disposal national representatives such as last season's leading scorer and most valuable player Kevin Lamey, Richard McCallum, Demar Philips and Desmond Breakenridge, Vincent Earle, Irvino English and Craig White.

Second best

In other games, promoted Naggo Head, who were outscored by Harbour View last week, will host Boys' Town at Ferdie Neita Park. Even with Kirk Ramsay and Layton Barrett and the fact that they are playing in their backyard, Naggo Head should be second best.

The Arnett Gardens/Harbour View matchup could go either way with Harbour View appearing to have the slight edge. After falling to Seba last week, Portmore United should return to winning ways when they travel to Barbican to take on the promoted August Town.

In western Jamaica, Reno and Wadadah, who both won at Jarrett Park last week, will meet in a 3:30 clash at Frome.

At Jarrett Park a full house is expected as Seba United, under new coach Geoffrey Maxwell, are expected to get the better of Trelawny's Village United at 6:00 p.m. This game could also see former national midfielder Theodore Whitmore playing his first game for the season.

STANDINGS

P W D L GF GA GD Pts

Waterhouse 1 1 0 0 2 0 2 3

Wadadah 1 1 0 0 3 1 2 3

Reno 1 1 0 0 2 0 2 3

Seba 1 1 0 0 2 2 2 3

Harbour View 1 1 0 0 4 3 1 3

Tivoli 1 0 1 0 2 2 0 1

Boys' Town 1 0 1 0 2 2 0 1

Naggo Head 1 0 0 1 3 4 -1 0

Portmore 1 0 0 1 0 2 -2 0

Arnett Gardens 1 0 0 1 1 3 -2 0

Village 1 0 0 1 0 2 -2 0

August Town 1 0 0 1 0 2 -2 0

TODAY'S GAMES

Tivoli Gardens vs Waterhouse at Edward Seaga Stadium - 3:30 p.m.

Naggo Head vs Boys' Town at Ferdie Neita Park - 3:30 p.m.

Arnett Gardens vs Harbour View at Tony Spaulding Complex - 5:00 p.m.

Reno vs Wadadah at Frome - 3:30 p.m.

Seba United vs Village United at Jarrett Park - 6:00 p.m.

August Town vs Portmore United at Barbican - 3:30 p.m.