By Nodley Wright, Staff Reporter THE WRAY and Nephew National Premier League swings back into action today with a full set of matches following a month of inactivity due to the Jamaica National Federation Cup and international commitments.
There was also the possibility that another week of inactivity was set to follow when the Jamaica Football Referees Association (JFRA) decided to hold a two-day retreat beginning yesterday and ending today. While the retreat is still set to take place, all the FIFA referees and assistants and a number of others will report for duty following a meeting of the Jamaica Football Federation's Referees Commission and the leadership of the JFRA.
Today's action will see two matches in western Jamaica and the remaining four taking place in Kingston and St. Andrew as well as Spanish Town. Seba United host Waterhouse at Jarrett Park while Reno take the field against Tivoli Gardens at Frome in games scheduled for 6:00 p.m. All other matches begin at 3:30.
Runaway leaders Hazard United journey to Harbour View to take on relegation-bound Bull Bay, the inconsistent Constant Spring will aim to continue the flow of good results they have had in this round when title hopefuls Village United, under the guidance of Geoffrey Maxwell, visit.
Defending champions Arnett Gardens, who have played a game less than the others due to their involvement in the CONCACAF Club Championships, get back into action with a game on their home turf against bottom-placed and relegation favourites Wadadah.
In the game of the day, Harbour View who are sitting in second place head to the old capital of Spanish Town to do battle with the improving Rivoli United who are sitting in eighth place of the 12-team league.
Both sides showed encouraging form in their last competitive outing - the semi-finals of the Jamaica National Federation Cup, where - according to Harbour View coach Donovan Hayles his team shook the monkey off their backs in the jungle by convincingly dismissing Arnett Gardens, a team which had been dominating them.
Bradley Stewart's Rivoli kept the very potent Hazard United in check for most of their game and could have picked them off had his players taken their chances.
"Right now we just want to ensure that the players' heads are in the right place," said Hayles, whose team was last involved in competitive action on March 16. "Complacency could set in which would not be helped by the fact that we are playing Rivoli, a team that we have had the better of this season," Hayles continued.
Ever respectful to his opponents, Hayles said that such an approach could cost them. Rivoli, he said, were a good team with an excellent coach.
"Based on their results under Stewart they seem to be doing well," Hayles said.
That aside, he believes his team is equipped with the tools to do the job required. He could be right. This despite entering the game without one of his national representatives and possibly two. National forward Fabian Taylor, who was injured in the Gold Cup qualifiers, will definitely not play while Robert Scarlett, if not 100 per cent fit, could be rested.
"Taylor is carrying an injury and as a national representative we would not want to risk him. He has been trying for some time to cement a place in the national team and is just about to get his break. Some times we should operate with the national interest in mind," Hayles said of Taylor.
With Taylor out there is still the sharp-shooting Nicholas McCreath, Jomo Gordon, Ali Rose and Dino Williams to choose from, not to mention their surplus of talent in midfield with the likes of Jermaine Hue, Milton Griffiths, Daniel Shaw, Shawn Fraser, Baris Johnson and Donald Stewart to choose from.
Defensively they are just as deep with captain and national representative Damion Stewart, Clifton Waugh, Oneil Smith and sweeper William Richards who must be thinking that a national invitation is long overdue.
In his own way, Stewart has been rallying his charges for the battle ahead.
"My recent talk to the team has been that if they want to be seen as a serious Premier League team then we have to beat one of the top teams in Harbour View, Hazard United and Arnett Gardens," Stewart explained.
"That is our approach. We are taking it seriously. Although we are out of the relegation zone we still want to make an impression," he said.
With former national representatives Ray Graham and Patrick Beech operating in tandem on the front line, along with support from Shawn Simpson, Errol Wilkie and former Nigeria international Mobi Oparaku operating behind them, they could cause trouble.
The tough Dwight Heron has added some stability to their defensive unit which plays in front of the impressive young goalkeeper Allien Whittaker and if the team manages to work just as hard as it did against Hazard for a longer period it could just pull it off.
TODAY'S GAMES
Bull Bay vs Hazard at Harbour View Mini Stadium - 3:30 p.m.
Seba United vs Waterhouse at Jarrett Park - 6:00 p.m.
Constant Spring vs Village at Constant Spring - 3:30 p.m.
Rivoli vs Harbour View at Prison Oval - 3:30 p.m.
Reno vs Tivoli at Frome - 6:00 p.m.
Arnett vs Wadadah at Tony Spaulding Sports Complex - 3:30 p.m.
