Champions look to halt slide

Champions Cavalier will try to halt the potential for free fall when they face Portmore United in the feature Jamaica Premier League (JPL) fixture this afternoon at Ferdi Neita Park, starting at 3.

In other games, Harbour View play Tivoli Gardens at Harbour View Mini-Stadium, Montego Bay United entertain Molynes United at Jarrett Park, Spanish Town Police host Racing United at Royal Lakes, and Chapelton go up against Mount Pleasant at Turner’s Oval. All starting at 3 p.m.

In the late game, Waterhouse take on Treasure Beach at the Waterhouse Stadium at 7 p.m.

Cavalier are coming off back-to-back defeats and have slipped to sixth with 26 points, while Dunbeholden (25), Chapelton (25), Waterhouse (24) and Arnett (23) are all within touching distance of sixth spot, should the champions lose.

Despite holding on to sixth place, Cavalier have also lost five of the last nine matches and appear to be facing their toughest challenge to make the playoffs since they returned to the top flight in 2017.

However, assistant coach Colin Wilson said they are not pressing the panic button yet.

“No. Not yet (worried). It’s early season still. Naturally, if it continues like this, but for now we are not worried,” he said.

“We are in the top six and we are going to try and keep it there as much as possible but we are still in the top six,” he noted.

Cavalier recent title successes have been built on a solid front three, with a main striker. This season they do not have a recognised front three and their main striker Shaquille Stein departed over the January window.

Nevertheless, Wilson pointed out that this term is more of a collective effort.

“That one person (who scores), yes, we are lacking that but it’s about cohesiveness. So anyone can score at anytime. Last week we got five goals and it was five different persons who got the goals. So that killer person we do not have but anyone can score at anytime,” he insisted.

THIRD ON THE CHART

Portmore are third in the standings on 33 points, two behind Racing and nine adrift of leaders MoBay.

They have been finding it difficult to get wins lately despite being unbeaten in their last seven outings.

Assistant coach Ricardo Smith said they have had many opportunities over those run of games to get three points but have failed to take their opportunities.

“We just have keep playing and take the points when we get them and when we get the win, we have to take them. We have to just try and do what we have to do. They are doing what they have to do,” he stated.

Meanwhile, league leaders MoBay play at home against Molynes and will be highly fancied to get their sixth win in seven games despite the strides Molynes (22) have made over the last month, with an unbeaten run of four matches.

Chapelton Maroons, one of the teams looking to capitalise on any mistakes by Cavalier, will themselves have a tall task against the imperious Mount Pleasant, who are fourth on 30 points and looking to close the gap on the front-runners.

Second-place Racing have also found wins tough to come by, with just one in their last six. However, they will be looking to take advantage of Spanish Town Police’s continued struggles.

Spanish Town Police remain at the foot of the table on nine points.

Waterhouse will look to stretch the winning run to three matches when they host the improving Treasure Beach. The last time these teams met, Waterhouse missed two penalties and Treasure Beach missed one themselves in a 0-0 draw.

Nevertheless, the home team will start favourites for this one.

In the day’s other game, Lenworth ‘Teacher’ Hyde will make his debut, on his return to Harbour View, against his old Club, Tivoli Gardens.

Tivoli will start favourites but Hyde’s arrival could influence the predicted final outcome of this game.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com

Today’s Games

Harbour View vs Tivoli Gardens at Compound – 3 p.m.

MoBay United vs Molynes at Jarrett Park – 3 p.m.

Portmore vs Cavalier at Ferdi Neita Park – 3 p.m.

Spanish Town Police vs Racing United at Royal Lakes – 3 p.m.

Chapelton vs Mount Pleasant at Turners Oval – 3 p.m.

Waterhouse vs Treasure at Waterhouse – 7 p.m.