Mount Pleasant expect toughest test yet
Published:Sunday | December 3, 2023 | 12:11 AMLivingston Scott - Gleaner Writer
DESPITE A perfect start to their Jamaica Premier League (JPL) season, Mount Pleasant sporting director Paul Christie is anticipating their most difficult test yet when they take on nemesis Waterhouse today at 3:15 p.m. at Drax Hall.
Mount Pleasant are on 18 points, seven points clear at the top of the JPL standings and eight points ahead of Waterhouse in sixth.
However, Christie pointed out that their encounters with the Drewsland-based clubs are always epic and that form usually has very little say in this fixture.
“It is always a humdinger when Waterhouse and Mount Pleasant face each other. The form book goes out the window,” said Christie.
“They were only one of three teams that got the better of us last season and they are always motivated to play Mount Pleasant.
“There is also a level of respect that we always show them, but we do not fear them. We will enter the game with one objective on our minds, and that is to get the win.”
Christie insists that despite their flying start to the campaign, the star-studded Mount Pleasant is not taking anything for granted and will be fully focused on the match.
“We have a lot of motivated players who are eager to go out and give their best,” he said.
One player who is having an exceptional season so far is winger Kimonie Bailey.
The player has so far netted four goals and provided two assists, and Christie said there is more to come from the player as long as he stays healthy.
“Kimonie Bailey has always been an exceptional talent. The problem is that he never went through a sustained period without injury. He was injury prone from his days at Dunbeholden,” noted the former Dunbeholden manager.
“Now he has a sustained period without injury, it is no surprise, he has been delivering what is expected of him.
“He also has the number one GPS in the country. So his work ethic has always been there. A lot of people believe it is Demario Phillips, but Bailey is number one as it relates to GPS. So his work rate has always been exemplary and he is just reaping the fruits of his labour and we are expecting more from him.”
After taking 10 points from four games, Waterhouse fell to Arnett Gardens in their last match and will be eager to bounce back and stay with the front-runners.
The Marcel Gayle-coached team have the league’s leading scorer in Javane Bryan (6), and with Denardo Thomas, Nicoy Christian, and Andre Fletcher looking more of an attacking force each game. They should provide a stern test for a Mount Pleasant defence that has conceded just twice in their six matches.