Premier League beckons Seba United, Highgate... But desperate Cavalier aim to capitalise on lifeline

Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Highgate and Seba United are each a point away from Premier League qualification, but third-place Cavalier could yet gate-crash the party, as the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Confederation play-offs comes to an expected thrilling climax today.

Joint-leaders with nine points a-piece, Highgate and Seba have their destiny in their own hands, and avoiding defeat in today's game will be good enough to ensure a spot in the top flight next season for both.

Highgate host Cavalier, who are on seven points, at the St Mary Sports Club, while Seba travel to the Spanish Town Prison Oval where they face eliminated Rivoli.

Despite parting ways with coach Danilo Barriga a few weeks ago, a man who led them to an impressive record in the Super League, Seba seem primed for a return to the top flight, after being relegated in 2008.

simple equation

Contrastingly, the equation may seem a simple one for the Eastern Confederation champions, who are yet to lose a game in the play-offs. But should they lose today, they would find themselves eliminated.

With Rivoli expected to start mostly Under-21s in their match against Seba, the MoBay team is expected to get a favourbale result, which could land Highgate in trouble should they lose, while for Cavalier, as things stand only a win will see them progress.

Well aware of the permutations, Highgate coach Calvin Lewis is adamant that his team will not fall at the final hurdle.

"We are going to be very cautious. We know we can't be overconfident and you can expect us to play our usual game," he said.

"It is a booster for us to be unbeaten and we have only conceded three goals. We have also been behind before, so we know we can come back. But we intend to get the first goal and see where it goes from there. It will be a good game.

"We just need to keep them focused and we have enough experience to know that we are one positive result away," he noted.

determined

David Laylor, Cavalier coach, believes his team has caught form at the right time and will be determined to take all three points.

"The team is on high alert, our adrenaline is flowing and we know it is a must-win situation," he said.

Laylor also insisted that the team would be just as comfortable away from home.

"It doesn't matter, whether it's home or away, we have to win and it is simply that. So even if we went to Barca, we know we would have to get the result.

"The last win gave us a lifeline, our backs are against the wall, but we dug ourselves into this hole so we have to dig our way back out," he challenged.

Having scored six goals for the competition, Highgate are the league's top scorers and have been held scoreless in only one game so far, a statistic of which Cavalier - who have let in five goals while scoring four - will have to be mindful.