Wadadah, Seba hunt finals berth

Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

Seba United and Wadadah will be aiming to clinch their place in the mid-season finals of the 2010-11 Captain's Bakery & Grill Western Super League football competition this afternoon, when they oppose Cousin's Cove and Catherine Hall, respectively, in ninth-round action of the 12-team championship.

With the unbeaten Danilo Barrigga-coached Seba United leading the standings on 23 points and second-place Wadadah only a point back on 22, a win today will put them both in unassailable positions - beyond the reach of third-place Frome, who are on 17 points, but have a game in hand.

In the other games on this afternoon, Frome will play away to Russia in a Westmoreland derby; Bamboo will be at home to Tomorrow's People, Granville will entertain Harmony, while Montpelier will play away to Exidos. All six games are slated for kick-off at 3 p.m.

Hard-fought win

Seba, with seven wins and two draws from nine games, are coming off a hard-fought 1-0 win against Montpelier on Sunday. In that game, in which they were severely tested, the prolific Jeremy Bucknor got the game's lone goal in the 45th minute.

Wadadah, whose only defeat in their nine games came against Seba, were in sparkling form on Sunday, blanking Russia 2-0 at the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) playing field, to improve their record to seven wins, one draw and one defeat. Curtis Palmer and Damian Reid got the goals for Wadadah.

While only three of the 12 teams are in contention for spots in the mid-season final, the other teams should be approaching their games in earnest, as with the second half of the preliminary round still to play, the race for the title is still a wide-open affair.

Escaped defeat

Also on Sunday, perennial contenders Granville, who are having a poor season, just escaped defeat against Bamboo in a 2-2 tie.

Bamboo took the lead through Nathan Lee in the third minute and Granville drew level through skipper Garth Johnson in the 10th. Lee again fired Bamboo into the lead at the 57th minute, but Granville equalised in the 82nd when Andrew Allen scored.

In other games played on Sunday, Harmony clipped Cousin's Cove 1-0, while Frome and Catherine Hall drew 0-0.

The competition's full point standings read as follows: Seba United 23, Wadadah 22, Frome 17, Granville 15, Montpelier 13, Harmony 12, Tomorrow's People 11, Catherine Hall 11, Russia 8, Bamboo 6, Exidos 4 and Cousin's Cove 3.

The eventual winners of the competition will take home the Captain's Bakery & Grill Trophy, pocket $150,000 and earn qualification to the 2011-12 Digicel Premier League qualifying tournament.