Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer

THE THIRD round of the Cash Plus Premier League (CPPL) will kick off today with matches in Portmore and western Jamaica, respectively, while most of the teams in Kingston and St Andrew will be inactive to facilitate the Jackie Bell Knockout final between Waterhouse and Harbour View.

Portmore United, formerly Hazard of Clarendon, will host Sporting Central, the team which has replaced them as the pride of Clarendon, in the first official game under lights at Ferdie Neita Park. This match will start at 6:30 p.m.

Besides originating from the same parish, which operates like a conveyer belt of football talent, both teams will field players who have at one point been representatives of the other club. Sporting Central's coach, Chris Dawes, was also once a Portmore United player.

Of the two teams, the more experienced Portmore United should be fancied as they have a far deeper squad and are playing on their home ground. Sporting Central are a tough team but at this time they do not have the required pedigree.

The other game will feature Tivoli Gardens, the team of the second round, and Village United who are fighting the increasingly difficult task of avoiding relegation. On the face of it, Tivoli Gardens should start favourites based on the record of both teams this season and their position in the table, but a closer analysis of the results would urge caution.

poor Tivoli performance

Apart from losing the end-of-round final, their second such loss for the season, Tivoli Gardens lost their previous two matches to St Georges of Portland in Portland and received a whipping at the hands of Arnett Gardens in the Jackie Bell quarter-finals. Understandably,it is a concern for manager Brian Rose.

"After that disappointing game against Waterhouse, the challenge has been to remotivate the players and to get them to understand that that game was a one-off of no significance other than for prize money and a trophy. I think they have responded well and are ready to get back on track," Rose told The Gleaner.

His team travels poorly and their task will be made even tougher by the continued absence through injury of key defender Kasai Hines, Leon Gordon and Sheldon Palmer and Damion Gordon who has been suspended.

"This round may seem like a walkover, but this I believe will be the hardest, where teams will be fighting to be in the top of the table and some will be fighting to avoid relegation, so teams will have to be even more focused and purposeful for the duration of the round," explained Rose.

If Tivoli Gardens are to take a victory on the road then players such as Edsel Scott, Christopher Jackson, Oraine Simpson, Roland Dean, Navion Boyd, Steve Green and Craig Stewart will have to perform at their best.

As far as Village's coach, Paul 'Tegat' Davis, is concerned, today's game will be a continuation of the rescue mission.

"The players are aware of the situation and what it will require to get us where we need to be," Davis said. "We have taken the approach of taking one game at a time. We focus on that individual game and what it will take us to get the three points to gradually lift ourselves of the bottom of the table," he said.

"The idea that I am also trying to get across to the players is that each home match should count three points for us. Once we are able to secure these home points, then we would have gone a long way towards our goal."

TODAY'S GAMES

6:30 p.m. - Portmore United vs. Sporting Central Academy at Ferdie Neita Park

3:30 p.m. - Village United vs Tivoli Gardens at Elliston Wakeland Centre