Three teams, one spot

AS THE preliminary stage of the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) closes this afternoon with a full slate of matches, all starting at 3 p.m., three teams come into today’s final day battling for the last remaining play-off spot.

Table-toppers Waterhouse (49), Dunbeholden (43), Arnett Gardens (39), Mount Pleasant (38) and Cavalier (35) have all secured their passage to the play-off round.

However, Harbour View, Tivoli Gardens, and Humble Lion are still fighting for the sixth and final berth.

In today’s games, Harbour View play Dunbeholden at Wembley Centre of Excellence, Humble Lion play Molynes at Prison Oval, Cavalier take on Tivoli Gardens at Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence, Portmore tackle Mount Pleasant at Drax Hall, Montego Bay United entertain Vere at Wespow Park, and Arnett Gardens clash Waterhouse at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.

Harbour View sits sixth in the standings on 27 points, two more than Tivoli and Humble Lion. They also hold a plus-three goal difference, compared to their rivals, who both share a minus-two goal difference.

Even though a point might be enough to see Harbour View through, Ludlow Bernard’s team is eyeing all three points against Dunbeholden to ensure they dismiss any mathematical chance a draw may give the others’ teams.

Harbour View assistant coach, Sean Fraser, said they were all aware of the possibilities but were happy to know their destiny is in their own hands.

“We do not have to depend on anybody. Dunbeholden will not give us anything. We will have to go out and fight and play our football from the first minute to the last.

“We may have the advantage but we are not going to take the game lightly. If we can play up to 90 per cent of our game, we should be okay,” he said.

Both Andrew Price of Humble Lion and Glendon ‘Admiral’ Bailey of Tivoli know their fates remain out of their hands.

They both need to win, and hope Harbour View lose, to stand any chance. But, if both Tivoli and Humble Lion fail to win, Harbour View will progress, whatever their result on the day.

Humble Lion’s Price revealed they will be playing their game under protest after the match was shifted from Effortville to Prison Oval at the eleventh hour.

However, they intend to get the result required and let the chips fall where they may.

“We are going to play the game under protest because we started preparation for the game at Effortville and started to put all the various things in place.

“We are going to honour the fixtures but under protest. The players know what they have to do and we just want to go out and play a good game and see if we can get three points,” he said.

Humble Lion has lost just once in nine matches and they go into the game confident of victory.

“When you look at the run that we have had, we have picked up 16 points this round, significantly more than in the first round.

“We are defending well and getting goals, and the type of football we have been playing over the last few weeks should ensure we get a victory,” he said.

Tivoli’s Bailey admitted the odds are stacked against them but they will be fighting for the three points nonetheless.

“It is an uphill task. It is very difficult, but still possible. I do not like to play football and depend on another side to help us.

“But now it comes down to the last game and Tivoli and Cavalier always have something going.

“Cavalier will not hand us three points. We will have to work for it,” he said.

If Harbour View draw, Tivoli and Humble Lion still need to win by at least six clear goals to overtake them in the standings.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com. Gleaner Staff Reporter Daniel Wheeler contributed to this story.

Race for sixth place

Team Points Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference

1) Harbour View 27 25 22 +3

------Play-off line--------------------------------------------------------------------------

2) Tivoli Gardens 25 28 30 -2

3) Humble Lion 25 20 22 -2

Simple play-off scenarios

Habour View will qualify for the play-offs with:

1. A win against Dunbeholden OR

2. A draw AND a Tivoli and Humble Lion loss/draw OR

3. A loss AND a Tivoli and Humble Lion loss/draw OR

4. A draw AND a Tivoli or Humble Lion win that does not exceed Harbour View’s current goal difference

Tivoli Gardens will qualify for the play-offs with:

1. A win vs Cavalier AND a Harbour View and Humble Lion loss