Tivoli hunt local double

Nodley Wright, Sunday Gleaner Writer

League champions Tivoli Gardens will be gunning for the double this afternoon when they tackle the freshly demoted St Georges Sports Club of Portland in the final of the Flow Champions' Cup Knockout.

The 5 p.m. encounter will take place at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex, the venue where both teams booked their places in the final in contrasting fashion. On that day, St Georges outclassed Sandals Whitehouse 3-0 with a double strike from Rome Parkes, while Tivoli Gardens halted the run of Boys' Town, who were going for a three-peat. Christopher Jackson was their goalscorer.

While St Georges were more impressive in their semi-final victory, Tivoli Gardens should start as hot favourites based on their performance this season, the composition of their squad, and the results of the matches between the teams so far this season.

Tivoli were victorious in all three league meetings this season (3-0, 1-0 and 2-1). What should also tip the balance in their favour is the fact that a win would give the club their first double. Added to that is the fact that the $1 million-prize money will be shared among the players should they win. The runners-up will share a smaller purse of $400,000.

Alvin Shaw, assistant coach of Tivoli Gardens, will not be expecting to just show up in order to take the title. His players, he said, have been in good spirits and have trained intensively for this showdown.

Preparing for encounter

Despite Tivoli's overwhelming 'favourites' tag, Shaw is not taking anything for granted and unlike their opponents, who have not trained since their 0-0 draw with Sporting Central Academy in their last league outing, his team has been preparing for the encounter.

"The spirit is high and the guys are in a good mood at the moment; nonetheless we have been working very hard," Shaw said. "We put in a very intense training session on Thursday, as we are not taking anything for granted," he added.

History, Shaw added, will count for very little today.

"They (Georges) are a quality team and despite us beating them three times they do have quality in their squad and they can beat any team on a given day," Shaw said.

"The fact that they have been relegated from the premier league might be a motivator to them, as they might want to go out with a bang," added Shaw, whose team took care of Harbour View 1-1 (3-1 on penalties), Frazer's Whip 1-0 and Boys' Town on their way to the final.

Major motivator

Based on the fact that St Georges have not trained since their relegation a week ago, they could either be like lambs to the slaughter or they could really spring a surprise and stop Tivoli Gardens. If the latter is to happen, then the big prize money will be a major motivator.

Coach Geoffrey Maxwell is a realistic man.

"The frame of mind of the boys is not 100 per cent good, because it (relegation) is a very big disappoint-ment for the St Georges team," Maxwell said.

"What we have been trying to do over the last couple of days is get them back into the frame of mind, which is difficult at this time. But I am sure the players will respond, as this is the biggest final they have ever played in," added the man who led them to the Portland KO title earlier in the season.

What could go in St Georges' favour is the fact that Tivoli Gardens have not scored more than a goal in regulation time in this competition. St Georges, on the other hand, have scored freely beating Eastern Strikers 8-0, Waterhouse 2-2 (4-1 on penalties), Portmore United 1-0 and Sandals Whitehouse 3-0.

Parkes, on three goals, could finish the competition as the leading goalscorer as could his clubmate Ricardo Watson who is on two - that is if they add to their tally. They will be crucial to St Georges' chances while Keammar Daley, Navion Boyd, Roland Dean, and Owen Powell will be called on by Tivoli Gardens.