St Catherine showdown - Troubled Portmore, Dunbeholden clash in parish derby

It has not been happy times for football fans in the parish of St Catherine since the start of the 2019-2020 Red Stripe Premier League season, but the die-hards and others will be hoping that the old capital will come alive and that the Prison Oval will rock.

In action today will be the defending champions, Portmore United, hosting the people’s champions, Dunbeholden, who, last season, refused to die and willed themselves out of the relegation zone. That positivity has not carried over into this season for Dunbeholden, who, like Portmore United, are winless and pointless so far this season.

Together, they have conceded nine goals – four for Dunholden and five for Portmore – and scored one goal between them, with Dunbeholden accounting for it. Despite the gloomy situation, positivity flows from Portmore United captain Rosario Harriot.

“We will get everything rolling soon. We have a good squad capable of getting the results we need, and what is absent now is just the chemistry and the understanding of playing together, and that will come soon,” said the club stalwart, who also spent some time at Harbour View.

The struggles of his team, Harriot explained, are partially due to the departure of key players and the arrival of new ones.

KEY PLAYERS OUT

“Maybe it could be down to some key players being missing and some new players coming in, so it is just that the chemistry has not come as yet,” explained Harriot, making reference to the departure of Ricardo Morris and Jovan East, who scored the bulk of their goals.

Also making exits were Damono Soloman, who started in central defence as well as Chavany Willis and Damion Williams, who played key roles in midfield.

“This is a derby game, an important one for us, which can give us a kick start to our season. For us, it is an opportunity to put points on the table,” Harriot declared.

If Portmore United are to get the points from this game, they will require goals. The recently acquired Cory Burke and Rondee Smith will lead their charge.

Dunbeholden’s Michael Cohen sees the game as a massive one for his charges.

“It is a very big, big game. We have never beaten Portmore in a competitive fixture. They are the defending champions, who are without points, and we are without points as well, so this is really a big one,” Cohen said.

The previous results, Cohen said, are not indicators of their quality or ability.

“We just need to make less mistakes and put the ball in the back of the net. We have been making some costly errors, and we are trying to eliminate them. We are creating chances, too, and need to put them away,” Cohen said of what it would take to get the better of their more storied parishioners.

One major strength of his group, Cohen said, is their team play. Individuality and individual play are not part of their operation he said.

“We do not rely on one or two players. We are a team, and that is our strength. Individuality does not work for us.

“The players are very motivated because Potmore beat us three times last season and we had the better of the play then. They are using it as a motivator,” Cohen said, adding that former Portmore players Eric Edwards, Keemo Gayle, Shaquille Dyer, Andre Dyce, and Saneke Burton are even more eager to get one over their former team.

At the Wembley Centre, the newly promoted Molynes United will seek to get the better of fellow promoted team Vere United in a bid to maintain their stay at the top of the table. Mount Pleasant are expected to record their first win of the season when they host the sliding Tivoli Gardens.

Cavalier will be aiming to put their Monday night whipping behind them when they entertain Humble Lion, while Waterhouse FC will take on Harbour View in a battle of two of the three unbeaten teams at the Waterhouse Stadium.

Today’s Games:

5:00pm Cavalier FC vs Humble Lion FC @ Stadium East

4:00pm Mount Pleasant FA vs Tivoli Gardens FC @ Drax Hall Sports Complex

3:30pm Portmore United FC vs Dunbeholden FC @ Prison Oval

3:30pm Vere United FC vs Molynes United FC @ Wembley Centre of Excellence

7:00pm Waterhouse FC vs Harbour View FC @ Waterhouse Stadium

Tomorrow’s game:

8:30pm Arnett Gardens FC vs UWI FC @ Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex

Standings

Standings in the National Premier League (Tabulated under Teams, P-Play, W-Win, D-Draw, L-Lose, GF-Goals For, GA-Goals Against, GD – Goal Difference and O Pts-Overall Points

POINTS STANDING

Teams P W D L GF GA GD Pts

Molynes FC 2 2 0 0 6 2 4 6

H.View 2 2 0 0 5 1 4 6

Waterhouse 2 2 0 0 3 0 3 6

H. Lion 2 1 1 0 4 2 2 4

UWIFC 2 1 0 1 6 3 3 3

Vere United 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 3

Cavalier 2 1 0 1 3 4 -1 3

Arnett 2 1 0 1 2 3 -1 3

Mt. Pleasant 2 0 1 1 2 3 -1 01

Dunbeholden 2 0 0 2 1 4 -3 0

Portmore 2 0 0 2 0 5 -5 0

Tivoli 2 0 0 2 0 5 -5 0