Seba, Wadadah clash in mid-season final

Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

The first title of the 2010-11 Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Western Confederation season will be decided this afternoon, when former national champions Seba United and Wadadah square-off in The Captain's Bakery Western Super League mid-season final at Jarrett Park, starting at 5 p.m.

While the unbeaten Danilo Barrigo-coached Seba United will be aiming to extend their impressive unbeaten record to 11 games, the Wadadah team, which is being conditioned by Daniel Rickettes, will be gunning to avenge the 2-1 loss they suffered to Seba United earlier in the season, their only defeat in 10 games.

With a rivalry dating back over 25 years, today's game, based on the current form of the two teams, promises to be an epic affair in which both teams must be fancying their chances of coming away with a victory, which should give them bringing rights going forward in the competition.

"Our plan from the start of the season is to go through unbeaten as doing so, should give us the title," coach Barigga, who is a Peruvian, told The Gleaner following a recent Seba United game. "The players understand our mission and are serious about attaining that objective."

Best season

For Wadadah, who are enjoying their best season in recent years, coach Rickettes has got the team to take quite a disciplined approach to their training and believes their success to date is a result of the work they have been putting in on the training pitch.

"We have really be working very hard in the training and the players are really committed," said Rickettes. "The hard work is paying off and we are expecting great things this season."

In their last outing, the Seba United aggregation, behind goals from Kemar James (two) and Dwayne Ambersley, spanked Tomorrow's People 3-1 to remain atop the twelve-team competition with 26 points. Their impressive season record now reads eight wins and two draws from their 10 games.

For their part, the Wadadah team was also in a winning mood, brushing aside the challenge of Frome FC 2-1, behind goals from Isaac Brown and the prolific Curtis Palmer, to move up to 23 points.

In their quest for victory today, Seba United will be banking on the likes of strikers Jeremy Bucknor, James, Iton Scott, Omar Reid and Omar Christie while Wadadah's charge will be led by the prolific Palmer, who has scored in the 10 games the team has played. Palmer should be well supported by the likes Isaac Brown, who is proving to be quite proficient before the goal.

Going in the mid-season final, the standings in the competition reads as follows: Seba United - 26, Wadadah FC - 25, Frome FC - 17, Granville - 16, Montpelier - 16, Harmony FC - 12, Tomorrow's People - 11, Catherine Hall - 12, Russia FC - 8, Bamboo FC - 7, Cousin's Cove - 6 and Exidos - 4.

The eventual winners of the competition will move on to the 2011-12 Digicel Premier League qualifying competition, as well as take home The Captain's Bakery Trophy and $150,000.