Byjeon Thomas, coach of Lennon High School, is aware of what they will be up against when they visit group leaders Dinthill Technical High School in their quarter-final ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup encounter this afternoon.
Lennon, on three points following their 1-0 win over Petersfield last Saturday, have a chance of making it to the illusive semi-finals if they manage the get by Dinthill, on six points, in this the third and final match of the quarterfinal round.
The other match in the group will be between Petersfield High School, on zero points, and St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), also on three, and will be looking to give themselves a chance on goal difference.
"Well, definitely we will be trying to win the game. We know it's not going to be easy, but what we will try to do is give a good account of ourselves. This Dinthill team has shown that they can defend as well as they can attack, so we will just start first by not conceding, then we will try to get ourselves on the scoresheet," said Thomas.
"Yeah, definitely it will take a lot of mental toughness because the mood in the Dinthill camp should be vibrant. However, we will try to take the game in sessions, 15 minutes at a time, and see how best we can topple them at home," he added.
Thomas admitted that the Dinthill team has a lot of quality, which makes it hard for him to spot any weakness in the way they play, and is instead hoping they can create their own weakness in complacency this afternoon.
Dinthill will be without the services of captain and leading goalscorer Tevin Cheese, who picked up a red card after netting the winner last Saturday against STETHS.
"I haven't seen much of them, but for what I have seen, they have been pretty good. The only weakness I could probably think about is complacency. But as I said, we are going to take the game 15 minutes at a time and manage it as it goes on," said Thomas, who is banking on the confidence his players possess to take them over the line.
"We don't have players in our team that have played a number of daCosta Cup seasons, because we lost them to other schools. However, yes, the team that we have right now, they are confident and want to prove to others that they can do it," he added.
Today's ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup fixtures:
- Mile Gully v Frome at Manchester High - 1 p.m.
- Maggotty v Port Antonio at STETHS Sports Complex - 1 p.m.
- Garvey Maceo v Charlemont at Juici Patties Park - 1 p.m.
- Clarendon College v St James at Juici Patties Park - 3 p.m.
- Manchester v Old Harbour at Manchester High - 3 p.m.
- STETHS v Petersfield at STETHS Sports Complex - 3 p.m.
- Dinthill v Lennon at Dinthill - 3 p.m.
- Cornwall College v Glenmuir at Jarrett Park - 3 p.m.