Gayle glad to see Bygrave back among the goals
Published:Saturday | December 28, 2024 | 12:09 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
Waterhouse coach Marcel Gayle believes the team’s topscorer, Atapharoy Bygrave, has been a victim of his own early success and was glad to see him back on the scoresheet after going two months without a goal in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL).
Bygrave who netted five goals in his first five matches, scored the opening goal in a 1-1 draw against Racing United on Sunday. It broke an eight-match scoreless streak. Before Sunday his last goal was against Harbour View on October 21.
“He has been working hard in training but this is how tough the league is sometimes. When you are a top marksman people come at you but I thought he equipped himself well, and kept his composure and finished that one,” Gayle said while commenting on Sunday’s goal.
During Bygrave’s dry spell, Andre Fletcher, Javane Bryan and Leonardo Jebbison have been providing the goals for the Drewsland-based team.
Nevertheless, Gayle felt they could have taken all three points against Racing had they been more clinical with the opportunities they created. Waterhouse slipped two places down the table to fifth on 26 points, six adrift of leaders Mount Pleasant, as a result.
“Up front we created numerous chances. Unfortunately, we never put another one (goal) home. I think had we scored a second goal we would have got all three points. But we are in a good position and we just have to maintain our focus and take it a game at a time,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bygrave admitted that the patience and faith Gayle showed in him during his goal drought kept him going.
“The coach told me to remain focused. He said to just continue working hard and it’s going to come,” he said.
Waterhouse play leaders Mount Pleasant in their next JPL match tomorrow, and Bygrave said that they have no intention of using the holidays as reason to relax.
“You have to make sacrifices. Now is not the time to take a break. It’s three rounds (of football), and you know it’s the festive season but we just have to work hard in training every day. We have no breaks. We have to train each day. We have to remain focused and work for each other,” he added.