Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer
LIFE IN the Cash Plus Premier League (CPPL) will not get any easier for cellar dwellers Village United - at least in the short term - as today they go up against leaders Seba United in a western derby at Jarrett Park.
With just one point from four games, the Trelawny-based team can expect no favours from Seba United, who will want to secure bragging rights and their position at the top of the table.
Theodore Whitmore appears to have transferred his magic touch from the field of play to the sidelines and is eager to return the club to its glory years. The lead Seba now enjoy is something that he would not want his charges to relinquish.
"What we are working towards is winning the title. We are leading the league right now and hopefully we can keep it up," a confident Whitmore told The Gleaner on Monday.
Reasonably pleased
Blending a number of youngsters with a few experienced players, the former national midfield wizard is reasonably pleased with the response that he has received in his first year in charge of the club.
"At the moment, I am not 100 per cent pleased but we are getting where we want to be," he said of the overall performance.
Today against Village United, Seba will be without a number of their starters in utility player Delroy Ellis (influenza), Anthony Dawkins (hamstring injury), Olivier Trail (red card), Neil Lynch and Seion McNish (ankle injury). Despite that, Whitmore is confident he has enough ammunition to get the job done.
"We know the Village team and they will be tough - especially because it is a derby game and they have not started the season well. This will make them come even harder at us but we will be ready," he said.
"Yes we will be missing a number of regulars but we have some Under-21s who should be able to step up to the task and if it reaches that stage, you may see me," said Whitmore who is yet to take the field as a player this season.
In addition to himself, he will be able to count on the services of Wilfred Smith, Ricardo Geddes, Daniel Ricketts and Mario Samuels.
Village coach Kendale Mercury, while conceding that the mood in his camp was one of disappointment, expressed confidence that his side will be able to lift for the derby game.
"Generally, the players are disappointed, as well as the coaching staff and supporters because of the performance that was put in on Sunday against August Town, but for Wednesday's game against Seba it should be different. It is a derby game and people are usually pumped up for derby games and I am sure my players will be ready for it," Mercury reasoned.
In the two losses under his charge, Mercury said he has found reason to be positive. According to him, his team was loose defensively against Harbour View but improved against August Town. That, he said, should improve even further against Seba United.
No goals in two games
Apart from their defensive frailties, Village United have not found the back of the net in the past two games, a fact Mercury recognises.
"We did not attack well enough and did not create enough chances to score nor did we look hungry enough," said Mercury, who accused his team of lacking heart at the end of Sunday's loss to August Town.
According to Mercury, he has plans to address the situation but will keep them to himself until game time. To the casual observer these plans could include starting Fabian Dawkins and Omar Allen. Dawkins has been their most prolific striker over the years but has found himself cooling his heels on the bench while the likes of Kemar Mills start.
"We have set ourselves a target for the first round and that is not beyond us as yet so we will keep working towards that," a hopeful Mercury concluded.
In other games, Arnett Gardens could just get the edge over Tivoli Gardens in a fixture which has generated much excitement in previous years. This season, neither team has set the league alight.
Sporting Central have answered a number of tough questions in the league so far with creditable results against former champions Portmore United, Arnett Gardens, Reno and Harbour View. Only once did they come out behind their opponents. A point or a win over Waterhouse should prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that they belong among the big boys. Waterhouse are of the opinion that the title should be theirs this season and will not make things easy for the hosts.
Portmore United returned to winning ways on Sunday and should continue in that vein when they host St. Georges at Ferdie Neita Park while Harbour View should just get the better of August Town when they visit the UWI Bowl.
Meanwhile, Boys' Town and Reno will battle it out at STETHS tomorrow, with the hosts trying to get away from the bottom of the ladder.
Today's gameS
5:00 p.m.: Arnett Gardens vs Tivoli Gardens at Tony Spaulding Sports Complex
3:30 p.m.: Sporting Central vs Waterhouse at Prison Oval
6:00 p.m.: Seba United vs Village United at Jarrett Park
3:30 p.m.: Portmore United vs St. Georges at Ferdie Neita Park
3:30 p.m.: August Town vs Harbour View at UWI Bowl
Standings
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Seba United | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| Waterhouse | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 7 |
| August Town | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| Portmore United | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| Harbour View | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Arnett Gardens | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| Sporting Central | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 5 |
| Boys' Town | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 5 |
| Tivoli Gardens | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | -2 | 5 |
| St. Georges | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 4 |
| Reno FC | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | -2 | 2 |
| Village United | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 9 | -6 | 1
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