BY AINSLEY WALTERS, Staff Reporter
FILE - Waterhouse's coach Wayne Fairclough.
TOMORROW MARKS THE start of the Wray and Nephew Premier League home run, the final six games, barring rescheduled matches, at the end of which the leaders will be crowned 2005-2006 champion, no semi-final nor two-way final included.
The top three teams are on the road. Leaders Harbour View on 57 points are away at eighth-place, Seba (30), whereas second-place Waterhouse (53) will face last-place Rivoli at the Spanish Town Prison Oval.
Hot on the heels of Harbour View, the men from Drewsland will come face-to-face with Calvert Fitzgerald, the former Waterhouse coach now in charge of Rivoli.
In-form third-place Tivoli (45), who haven't lost in seven games, have a battle on their hands against fourth-place Village (41), the last team to have beaten them.
SLEEPLESS NIGHTS
Tivoli defender Victor Thompson must be having sleepless nights ahead of his team's trip to the Elliston-Wakeland Centre where he scored an own goal in a first round 2-3 loss, before following up with an incredibly similar feat at home, losing by the exact scoreline.
Champions Portmore, fifth on 39 points, are at Ferdie Neita Park against slumping Arnett Gardens. The champions played to a frustrating 12th draw against Waterhouse last week, but must fancy their chances at home with Arnett on a downward trek in the league, dropping to seventh on 32 points.
Sixth-place Boys' Town are at home with Wadadah's ticket in their pockets following 2-0 and 1-0 home and away victories respectively.
At the foot of the standings, the relegation battle continues with 10th-place Reno at home on 26 points awaiting next-to-last Constant Spring (21) at Frome.
Reno are battling to stay clear of the last two whereas Spring are desperate to climb out of the drop zone.
However, the battle at the top of the table is where most eyes will be focused with Harbour View aiming to keep ahead of chasing Waterhouse.
The league leaders beat Seba home and away in the first and second round respectively and should notch another win.
Waterhouse drew 1-1 with Rivoli in the first round and edged the men from Spanish Town 1-0 in the return match at Drewsland.
Coach Wayne Fairclough was an assistant to Calvert Fitzgerald for both games and is wary of his former boss, who'll be on the opposing bench tomorrow.
"He knows the players and what they're capable of doing and will try using his football brain but we know what we're about," said Fairclough.
GOOD MATCH-UP
"It will be a good match-up because Rivoli need three points to stay in the league but Waterhouse are on a mission. It will be hard game and it won't be an easy task at Rivoli," he added.
Fairclough, who enjoyed a magnificent second round win-streak at Waterhouse, a trend started by Fitzgerald, said he isn't discounting Rivoli, who drew 0-0 with Arnett Gardens in Red Stripe Champions' Cup action Wednesday afternoon.
"I saw them play and they're good but have had their share of problems, an exodus of players, but still have quality in their armoury," he pointed out, adding Waterhouse will keep gnawing away at Harbour View.
"We cannot give up and keep digging at the leaders," said Fairclough, whose team beat Reno 2-1 in Red Stripe Champions' Cup action in midweek.
Games On
Boys' Town vs Wadadah at 3:00
Reno vs Constant Spring at 3:00
Seba vs Harbour View at 4:00
Rivoli vs Waterhouse at 3:00
Portmore United vs Arnett at 3:00
Village vs Tivoli at 3:00
Do
you have a problem? Is something bothering
you? Write to 