Sporting look to ambush Tivoli Gardens

Nodley Wright, Gleaner Writer

Sporting Central will be gunning for their second big scalp in successive weeks when they host leaders, Tivoli Gardens, in one of a full schedule of six matches in the Digicel Premier League today.

The Clarendon-based team, last week, became the first club to beat then leaders, Waterhouse, at home for the season, and today will host the new leaders at Brancourt. In Tivoli Gardens, Sporting will come up against tougher resistance than Waterhouse offered last week. Waterhouse struggled without coach Baris Johnson and were hammered in the end-of-round final before succumbing to the 0-1 loss to Sporting Central.

Tivoli on the rise

Tivoli Gardens, on the other hand, seem intent on pulverising all that come before them. They followed up their 5-1 whipping of Waterhouse by blanking Benfica 5-0. If they show up in a similar mood, Sporting Central could be in trouble. At the heart of Tivoli Gardens' rise is the improvement in the form of Keammar Daley who is finally showing the class that he has long promised. If he continues to get the support from Devon Hodges, Roland Dean, and the rejuvenated Steve Green, then Tivoli Gardens, even without Jevaughn Watson, Andre Blake, and LeVaughn Williams, will be hard to stop.

At Collie Smith Drive, Lenworth Hyde Sr will lead his rejuvenated Humble Lion into battle against Boys' Town, a club he represented with distinction as a player. Since his association with Humble Lion, Hyde has managed to have them play a good brand of football, and gain valuable points - but they still find themselves in the relegation zone, just a point behind Village United.

To get out of that position, wins are important, and Hyde said he is expecting a tough battle at one of his former homes.

"It looks tough. They are coming off a loss, and for them that will be added motivation to win, especially at home," Hyde explained.

In the first round, Boys' Town defeated Humble Lion 1-0 away from home, and the visitors would want to turn the tables this time around.

"The last time we met they beat us, but we cannot afford to lose anymore matches. All points are crucial, so we will have to go all out to get that win," he added.

Their task will be made even more difficult by the absence of goalkeeper and captain, Shawn Sawyers, who is injured, and Kimroy Davis.

Boys' Town's Andrew Price has always stressed the importance of taking full points at home, and today will be no different.

"It is a very important game. Once we are playing at home, it is important for us to get three points," said Price, whose team lost 0-1 away to St Georges last week.

Besides the quality of players, such as goalkeeper Kirk Porter, captain Michael Campbell, Anthony Bennett and Joel Williams, what gives Price the confidence is the fact that his team normally makes a run in the second round.

Today's games:

• 3 p.m: Reno vs Arnett Gardens - Frome Complex
  
• 3 p.m: Boys' Town vs Humble Lion - Boys' Town
  
• 6 p.m: Village United vs Portmore United - Jarrett Park
  
• 6:30 p.m: Harbour View vs St Georges - Harbour View Stadium
  
• 3 p.m: Sporting Central vs Tivoli Gardens - Brancourt
  
• 3 p.m: Benfica FC vs Waterhouse - Drax Hall