Coach Whitmore aiming to exploit Dunbeholden’s weak areas
Published:Monday | May 22, 2023 | 3:19 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
Following last Monday’s Jamaica Premier League (JPL) first-leg quarterfinal 1-1 draw against Dunbeholden, Mount Pleasant’s coach, Theodore Whitmore, lambasted his team for playing without passion and intent.
Whitmore knows it would be a big disappointment if his team dropped out of the competition at this stage, and according to him, his players will show the application and resolve required to advance to the semi-finals when they meet Dunbeholden today at 8 p.m.
Although quite wary of what his opponents can do, Whitmore noted that he had seen chinks in the Dunbeholden armour and would be looking to exploit those weaknesses.
“Every team has weak points you can exploit,” he stated.
The team’s leading scorer, Trevante Stewart, has not shown good recent form, and Whitmore was far from pleased with the impact of his number-one striker in the first leg and might look to set things up a bit differently for the do-or-die contest.
“With Trevante we didn’t create enough, and we didn’t have the support from him. When (Jourdain) Fletcher, (Atapharoy) Bygrave, and Devonte Campbell came on we started to get more up front.
“But we have a job to do. We will look at it and see how best to approach this game and just to go out and give the best of ourselves,” he said.
Dunbeholden assistant coach Craig Richards said his team deserved to come away with the advantage after creating the clearer chances last week before allowing a late equaliser in added time.
However, he thinks his team has the measure of the St Ann-based Mount Pleasant and is confident that they will move on to the last four.
“We want to ensure that we keep them from scoring, but we have to concentrate for the entire game until the final whistle blows.
BE POSITIVE
“We have to continue to be positive and stop them from creating many chances and then hit them on the counter as best as we can. We know we have competent players who can do the job for us, and the aim is to get an early one (goal) on Monday,” he commented.
In the opening match at 5 p.m., defending champions Harbour View take a 2-0 advantage into their tie against Humble Lion, whose coach, Andrew Price, has not given up hope.
“There is a lot more football to play, and once we get the first one, we will keep working to get back,” he said.
Harbour View’s Ludlow Bernard said there is no letting up.
“They will have to surpass us with three goals, but the team is up for it. They will ensure that this (2-0) scoreline is not overturned,” he stated.