Top-six fight pulls attention from top-of-the-table clash
Published:Sunday | April 20, 2025 | 12:13 AMLivingston Scott - Gleaner Writer
ALTHOUGH THE top-of-the-table clash between Mount Pleasant and Montego Bay United will highlight today’s round of matches in the Jamaica Premier League, more attention will be fixed on games between Tivoli and Harbour View and Portmore and Waterhouse, with the race for the sixth spot maintaining its intensity even with just three games to go.
Mount Pleasant lead the league on 84 points, eight more than second-place Montego Bay United, and, after a convincing 2-0 win over Arnett Gardens in their last game on Thursday, coach Theodore Whitmore said rest and recovery is key.
However, with just one goal conceded in their last seven games, Whitmore is demanding another strong defensive display from his team.
“It’s a quick turnaround time. We played Monday, came back Thursday, and we go again Sunday (today). So rest and recovery are important.
“We have a big one coming up on Sunday, so rest and recovery are the main ingredient right now,” Whitmore noted.
Although five points clear of third-place Arnett, Montego Bay are looking to avoid defeat and keep their place in the standings, and coach Paul ‘Tegat’ Davis said they will take each game as it comes.
“We want the second spot but we want to take it game by game, because we can’t take anything for granted. We just have to stay focused and do what we have to do,” he commented.
Meanwhile, sixth-placed Waterhouse will look to hold on to their position in the table when they travel to Ferdi Neita Park to play Portmore at 3:30 p.m.
CONTROL
Waterhouse are sixth on 52 points, one ahead of Tivoli and four in front of Racing in eighth, and Waterhouse coach Marcel Gayle maintains that every game is a final.
“We have our destiny in our own hands. All games going forward are finals. We have to do what we have to do. Our destiny is in our hands, so we will control what we can control,” he said.
“We are coming together now. It’s a long season. We have tried many players and now its coming together.
“It took some time. We still have many young players still applying themselves, and they are getting better with games. We just want to stay focused and take it a game at a time.”
Tivoli will host Harbour View at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex at 3:30 p.m., and coach Jerome Waite is confident his team will take the sixth and final play-off spot.
“Tivoli is capable of doing this. We are presently the form team of the round. And, as long as they continue to work assiduously as a unit collectively, there is no doubt,” he stated.
Racing have a good chance of closing the gap on Waterhouse and Tivoli, should either fail to get maximum points, as they go up against relegation strugglers and second-from-bottom Molynes at Drewsland at 3:30 p.m.
A fourth straight defeat for Racing would virtually drop them out of the race for top six, while defeat for Molynes (32 points) would be devastating in their fight to avoid demotion.
The battle against relegation also continues with 11th-placed Dunbeholden (33 points) playing 12th-placed Humble Lion (32 points).
Both teams are hovering just outside the relegation zone and are desperately in need of a win.