MBU’s Jourdain Fletcher (centre) lines up a shot as he is being challenged by Molynes United’s Enrique Gordon (right) as another Molynes player Jaheem Frazer rushes in from the left in Sunday’s second round JPL game at Jarrett Park. Fletcher scored in the 3-0 win taking his league leading goals tally to 12.
(Photo: Paul Reid)
Racing United will seek their first win over Montego Bay United (MBU) today when they host the St James-based club in a meeting of the top two teams in the Jamaica Premier League at Ferdie Neita Park, starting at 3:00 pm.
Six games are scheduled to be played today, all starting at 3:00, including Mount Pleasant FA who could go to second with a win over Treasure Beach FC, as well as a clash between long time rivals Tivoli Gardens and Arnett Gardens at stadium east.
Seven points separate leaders MBU from second placed Racing United in what should be the game of the day between the two highest-scoring teams in the competition.
MBU, who have won three of the four meetings between the teams, are riding a wave that has seen them unbeaten since the start of the calendar year, picking up 19 of a possible 21 points in the process and outscoring their opponents 14-1.
After last Sunday’s 3-0 win over Molynes, MBU’s coach Xavier Gilbert expressed his delight in the team’s consistency and hinted that he had taken the liberty of looking ahead to today’s game by holding a few players out of the game.
Gilbert has good reason to be mindful of the second year team as Racing United has impressed, just missing the play-offs in their first season and have been among the top three this season, almost from the start.
Tajay Grant has scored 11 goals so far for the Racing United team, one less than MBU’s Jourdain Fletcher and has combined with Nickyle Ellis to score 18 of their 34 goals.
MBU is the first team to get to 40 goals so far with Fletcher and Dwight Merrick, both of whom were included in the local-based Reggae Boyz team that beat Grenada last month leading the way. The likes of veterans Brian Brown and Owayne Gordon have also been in scoring form.
MBU are going into the game on the back of three wins while Racing United came from behind to beat Spanish Town Police last week, ending a run of three straight draws.
Mount Pleasant FA are far from the free-scoring team they were last season on their way to a third straight final but have managed to win games with their airtight defence that has given up just nine goals in 18 games, and have only given up two goals in one JPL game all season, their opening game 2-2 draw at home against MBU.
Today they are also going after a fourth straight win against a Treasure Beach team that are yet to score against them and who they will meet in back to back games with another game set for Wednesday.
Portmore United who are in fourth place, on goal-difference to Mount Pleasant FA, will go into their game against Harbour View full of confidence having beaten the ‘Stars of the east’ five straight times.
Harbour View are struggling in the relegation zone after just managing to stay in the league last season and will hope the hiring of Lenworth Hyde as head coach and who led them to a 2-2 draw against Tivoli Gardens in his first game, can work his magic and keep them in the league.
Hyde was not able to keep Vere United in the league last season and will have his work cut out for him with a team that has failed to show any consistency for the last few seasons.
Two points separate fifth-placed Tivoli Gardens on 28 points, and seventh-placed Arnett Gardens but the form books are usually ignored when these two teams meet.
Arnett Gardens benefitted from a goalkeeping error in their 1-0 win over Dunbeholden FC in their previous game but will need to take advantage of any chances they get today.
In the other game scheduled, Waterhouse FC are enjoying their best run of the season with three straight wins and face a Dunbeholden team that has lost some of their defence discipline from earlier in the season, losing back to back games and have slipped to ninth place.
Today’s games:
Tivoli Gardens vs Arnett Gardens – Stadium East
Racing United vs Montego Bay United- Ferdie Neita Park
Molynes United vs Chapelton Maroons – Constant Spring
Dunbeholden FC vs Waterhouse FC- Dunbeholden Sports Complex
Treasure Beach FC vs Mount Pleasant FA – STETHS Sports Complex
Harbour View FC vs Portmore United – Harbour View Complex
Monday’s game:
Cavalier SC vs Spanish Town Police FC – Stadium East 4:00 pm
