Arnett Gardens brace for tough Harbour View challenge

After what he considers missed opportunities against bottom-of-the-table Vere United and top-of-the-table Waterhouse following 1-1 draws, Alex Thomas will be looking to lead his team to a win over middle-of-the-table Harbour View in the Red Stripe Premier League today.

Former champions Arnett Gardens sit in third place on 27 points, three behind Mount Pleasant and six behind Waterhouse, who have a game in hand.

“Looking at the last two games, we took them as positives even though we did not win. We created a number of chances, but did not take them. If we took our chances, the results would have been better,” Thomas said in reflection.

For today’s game, Thomas said his charges will be ready to deliver.

“The players accept the bad and the good and they move on.

“We are prepared for Harbour View. We expect a tough physical battle and we expect to get the three points,” said Thomas whose team won 3-0 the last time they met.

Harbour View’s Damion Stewart has been steadying the ship after a few rocky results and is looking forward to a positive result.

“This game is very important to us. It would be good to take something from it as they are above us, so we need to get points off them. One point would be good but we are looking for three points,” said the optimistic Stewart whose team stopped Vere 2-0 midweek after ending 1-1 with UWI FC on Sunday last.

While there is memory of the result from their last meeting, Stewart said that it will be of little importance for this game.

Different coach, result

“I try not to bring that to focus and concentrate on the game at hand. It is a different coach and we are looking for a different result,” explained Stewart, who was just a spectator at that game.

If they are to get the result that Stewart hopes for, then Norman Campbell, who struck a double midweek, Bebeto McDonald, and the veteran Romario Campbell, will have to be at their best backed up the likes of Dicoy Williams, Odorland Harding, Oshane Staple and Gerald Neil.

Arnett Gardens, on the other hand, will be looking to Kemal Malcolm to regain his goalscoring touch with good support from fellow attacker Fabian Reid. In midfield, they should benefit from the creativity of Vishinul Harris and Paul Wilson.

At the Constant Spring Stadium, the free-falling Molynes United will have a tough task of ending their 11-game winless streak when they entertain the tough Mount Pleasant Academy.

Mount Pleasant’s last two game were identical 2-1 wins over leaders Waterhouse and Dunbeholden, who, like them, are in their second year of top-flight football. Molynes have had 0-2 losses to Tivoli Gardens and Portmore United, respectively.

The Clarendon derby set for the Wembley Centre of Excellence could be bittersweet for football lovers from the parish. They could witness the further rejuvenation of Humble Lion, while also see another nail driven into the relegation coffin of Vere United FC if the Humble Lion come out on top as they are fancied to do.

At the UWI Mona Bowl, the home team could suffer from the absence of their entire first-team backline due to injuries, and Damano Solomon being ineligible based on the terms of his loan move from parent club Portmore United, who are again finding their footing.

Youngster Lamar Walker is getting more comfortable among the big men, and if the prolific and driven Corey Burke plays, he could add to his goal tally.

Dunbeholden are on a two-game losing streak and leaders Waterhouse may not be the team they want to face at this time, especially as Waterhouse have not won in their last two games either. The advantages that Dunbeholden could have are playing at home and the presence of the influential Andrae McFarlane who campaigned for Waterhouse previously and know their players very well.

Today’s Games

- 3 p.m. Molynes United FC vs. Mount Pleasant FA @ Constant Spring Stadium

- 3 p.m. Dunbeholden FC vs. Waterhouse FC @ Royal Lakes Complex

- 3 p.m. UWI FC vs. Portmore United FC @ UWI Mona Bowl

- 3 p.m. Vere United FC vs. Humble Lion FC @ Wembley Centre of Excellence

- 7 p.m. Harbour View FC vs. Arnett Gardens FC @ Harbour View Stadium

Tomorrow’s Game

- 8 p.m. Cavalier FC vs. Tivoli Gardens FC @ Stadium East