Kemps Hill want to keep momentum

WHEN THE final set of playoff matches in Zone I of the daCosta Cup schoolboy football competition kicks off today, surprise team Kemps Hill will be eyeing a third straight win when they host Denbigh High at 3:30 p.m.

After shocking unbeaten zone leaders Glenmuir 1-0 at home to open their playoff campaign, Kemps Hill followed up with another impressive 1-0 win over defending champions Garvey Maceo last Saturday. That victory silenced doubters and proved that their earlier win was no fluke.

With those two victories, Kemps Hill have climbed to 19 points and secured their spot in the round of 32. They join Glenmuir (22 points) and Garvey Maceo (21) as the three qualifiers from the zone.

With Denbigh already eliminated, today’s clash will be a formality for them. However, Kemps Hill coach Mitchell Kepshill is determined to keep his team’s momentum going.

“We’re going for three points here. When we played Denbigh away, it ended 1-1, but now that we’re at home, we’re confident of a win,” said Kepshill, who believes a victory could push his team to second place on 22 points.

He expressed satisfaction with his team’s progress.

“This is the second straight year we’ve advanced to the round of 32. Last season, we reached the round of 16, but this year we want to go even further,” he added.

In the other Zone I fixture, Glenmuir will host Garvey Maceo in a clash of former champions. After a goalless draw with Denbigh, coach Andre Peart’s Glenmuir side will be aiming to get back on track following just one point from their last two outings, including that shock loss to Kemps Hill.

Peart admitted that his team’s finishing has been poor.

“The team played well overall, but poor finishing cost us maximum points. That’s the main concern going forward — we need to start scoring again,” he said.

He will be banking on key players such as forward Orel Miller, captain Orane Watson, and midfield leader Dusting Cohen to deliver.

After thrashing Garvey Maceo 4-0 away a week ago, Glenmuir will be eager for another strong performance at home as they look to close the zone playoffs on a high and carry confidence into the round of 32 later this week.