Premier League hunt begins

Robert Bailey, Gleaner Writer

Digicel Premier League (DPL) hopefuls Cavalier and Reno will meet in today's big clash in the opening round of the four-team Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) all-island Confederation play-offs, at Frome Sports Complex, starting at 3:30 p.m.

In the day's other encounter, St Catherine Super League winners, Meadows, will host Benfica of St Ann at Spanish Town Prison Oval, starting at 3:30 p.m.

The teams are battling for two spots to next season's DPL. They will play round robin on a home-and-away basis, with points determining the qualifiers.

Meadows, who made their debut in the South Central Confederation Super League this season, will be seeking to follow in the footsteps of neighbours, Arlington, who made it to the Premier League after just two seasons in the South Central Confed Super League.

Orville Newell, Julian Francis and Dayne Planter are the main players for Meadows.

Benfica secured their place in play-offs by winning the Eastern Confederation title.

Their top players are Lacon Brissett and Craig Gordon, who have both reresented Jamaica at different levels. Gordon was actually a member of Jamaica's junior team, which participated in the FIFA World Cup Finals in New Zealand in 1999. He has represented Reno and Arnett Gardens in the Premier League.

Cavalier are looking to return to the big times after an absence spanning nearly a decade and a half. They are a one-time local giant, which won the National League in the 1980-81 season with victory over St Catherine team Thunderbolts in the final, when they were handled by their founder and football extraordinaire, the late Leighton Duncan.

They are the Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) Super League champions.

Along with Reno, with whom they fought some epic battles back in their heyday, Cavalier will start as the early favourites to claim the two spots on offer for the Premier League.

The Lamar Morgan-coached team was beaten in the final of the Jackie Bell knockout competition by August Town last month and is now very eager to qualify for the island's premier football competition.

Looking at their chances, Morgan said: "We are very confident but we are not going to get overconfident because we know that it won't be an easy task ... we don't want to lose this match.

"The expectation is to get three points but if we can't get all three points, then we would settle for a point," said Morgan.

"They will be coming out attacking because they are playing at home and they will have their crowd behind them, but we just have to make sure that we keep our composure and play our style of ballgame," he added.

Cavalier will pin their hopes on their leading scorer Loxley Thompson, along with captain David Laylor, Donovan Alvaranga and Fabian Swaby.

Reno, a former kingpin who have won the Premier League on three occasions, are seeking to make a return to the island's premier competition, this after they were demoted from the tournament last season.

Reno won the Premier League in 1989-90, 1990-91 and 1994-95 with respective finals wins against Black Lions, Arnett Gardens and Constant Spring.

The Westmoreland-based team secured their spot in the play-offs by winning the Western Confederation Super League by five points, finishing ahead of archrivals Seba United, another recently demoted Premier League giant.

Former national coach, Wendell Downswell, is in charge of Reno and he has also expressed confidence.

"A Reno and Cavalier game is always going to be a classic match-up because these are two formidable teams with an extremely rich history and they are on the verge of coming back into the Premier League, and so I believe that this is going to be a very exciting match," said Downswell.

"We are extremely confident but we are not going to them lightly because I have seen them play before and they are a good all-round team."

He added: "We have been unbeaten this season and our aim is to maintain this record, but we know that it won't be an easy task, despite the fact that we are playing at home. However, our intentions are to win all three games at home, and on the road we'll try for at least a point."

Reno will rest their hopes in the hands of national players Evan Taylor, Davian Thorpe along with Sheldon Bryan, Craig Foster and Martin Blake.