Nickle puts Waterhouse team above self in Red Stripe Premier League

If last year's beaten Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) finalists, Waterhouse, are to go one better this season, some players will have to put team above self, stay out of the limelight and do some of the less glamorous 'dirty work'.

That was evident on Sunday night when Waterhouse found themselves being given the run around by Cavalier, who had taken a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute through Al Nesbeth.

The visitors threatened to, and could have widened the gap, and something had to be done.

Forward Adoah Nickle was the man to whom coach Anthony Patrick turned to play a containing role, and he played it with distinction.

"There were some gaps in the midfield, and the coach thought that I was the right man to fill them, and he asked me and I did that willingly," said the 24-year-old forward, who distinguished himself at the schoolboy level for Bridgeport High and for Portmore United at the Premier League level.

"I am an all-rounder, so I did what I had to do. Evan Taylor needed help in the middle, and I went there," continued Nickle, who also chipped in with a wonderful assist to set up Jermain Anderson's goal.

That conversion was sandwiched by strikes from Taylor and substitute Anthony Leslie, as Waterhouse rallied for a 3-1 win and maintained their position at second in the league table.

Sunday's approach to the game for Waterhouse, Nickle said, is nothing new to him. Arriving at the club at the beginning of the season, the Portmore resident said he realised he had to make sacrifices to get into the team.

"When I came here, I saw that I would have to make some sacrifices and put myself in a position to do what the team needs and put in the work in the training, make sure you put in the work on the pitch," explained Nickle, whose elder brother, Layton Barrett, lit up the Premier League scene up until a few years ago.

He added: "This is a star-studded team that we have, and once you fall out of the starting 11, it is very hard for you to get back in, so I made the sacrifice and fought my way back and, getting in now, I intend to stay there."

While scoring goals still gives him the greatest joy, Nickle is not worried about not finding the back of the net at this time.

"Whether I score or not is not important to me right now. It is important that the team gets the results that we need, and we are getting the results. The goals will come, because at the end of the day, if you don't score, people are going to have you as a non-scoring forward, but I am focusing on my playing now, and the goals will come.

"My plan now is to cement myself in the Waterhouse team and, further on, try to make the national team," he said.

Standings

Teams P W D L GF GA GD Pts

Arnett 26 16 4 6 43 27 16 52

W'house 27 15 5 7 48 22 26 50

MoBay Utd 27 13 8 6 35 19 16 47

Humble 26 12 5 9 26 21 5 41

H View 27 11 7 9 35 32 3 40

Tivoli 27 11 5 11 35 38 -3 38

Rivoli 27 10 7 10 38 39 -1 37

Cavalier 27 9 7 11 21 21 0 34

Boys' Town 27 8 6 13 25 37 -12 30

Sporting 27 9 3 15 30 45 -15 30

Reno 27 7 6 14 34 44 -10 27

Barbican 27 4 9 14 19 44 -25 21