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Peart, Duckie looking forward to RSPL return clash

Published:Friday | March 29, 2019 | 12:00 AMMaurice Silvera/Gleaner Writer

Head coach at UWI FC Andrew Peart says he will be looking for his players to create more scoring opportunities as they travel to Drax Hall on Sunday for their second-leg Red Stripe Premier League quarterfinal clash with Mount Pleasant Football Academy.

The teams played to a 2-2 stalemate in last Sunday’s first instalment at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex, and Peart is bracing for a tough contest in a hostile venue.

“I am expecting a much more aggressive Mount Pleasant team than what I saw in the first leg. They will be playing at home, and they will want to get control of the game from early and try to score on us, so I am expecting they will be looking to establish a higher tempo than they did last time around,” Peart told The Gleaner yesterday.

Peart added that he felt his team never created enough scoring opportunities at their last outing.

“I must credit the team for their efficiency, scoring twice from the limited chances we created, but we will have to do much more of that. We cannot go there playing like we want to keep the game at nil-all. We have to go for the win and be aggressive despite playing away from home,” Peart continued.

Meanwhile, Donovan Duckie, head of Mount Pleasant, will be taking no chances heading into the tie.

Duckie believes that a more efficient showing from his strikers will be necessary if they are to cement a semi-final spot in their first season in the top flight.

“I think the game will be tighter than normal. It is the quarterfinals, and every team is giving 100 per cent, so, hopefully we will be more clinical in front of goal. It is the business end of the season now, and we will have to also improve on our mindset, be more focused going in,” Duckie shared.

UWI opened the scoring in the first match-up through Ramoun Reid, but Mount Pleasant equalised on the one-hour mark via a Suella McCalla finish. Both teams were awarded a penalty each, with Ryan Miller and Francois Swaby both converting from the spot.