Race on to join P'more in final

Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer

THE battle to join Portmore United in the first round final of the Cash Plus Premier League is so tight with one game to play, not even ninth-place Reno can be ruled out of advancing to the bonus final set for December 16.

It might be improbable but not mathematically impossible for Reno to advance on 16 points with favourable results in other games and a home win against first round finalists Portmore United, the only team on easy street tomorrow afternoon.

Tailspin

After all, Reno threw the league into a tailspin last week with a 2-1 win over Seba at Jarrett Park, triggering a two-match losing streak for the Montegonians, who fell to a similar margin at Portmore on Thursday, putting them in jeopardy of missing the remaining spot.

Incredibly, Reno, sitting ninth on 13 points, after conceding as many goals as they have scored in the league, are among eight teams in with varying chances of making the bonus final.

Second-place Seba on 16 points can end all arguments but must notch a victory at promoted Sporting Central. Anything less could spell disaster for the former league leaders as St. Georges, Harbour View and Tivoli Gardens are lining up for the kill on 15 points each.

St. Georges, who jumped to third place on goal difference after a 3-0 whipping of Boys' Town last Sunday, take a healthy plus-five goal average to downtown Kingston, where they face Tivoli Gardens on minus-one at the Edward Seaga Stadium.

Harbour View, who won on Sunday but shot themselves in the foot, going down 1-2 after leading at Boys' Town on Thursday, are away at dangerous Arnett Gardens, one of four teams on 13 points and capable of ending with 16, as many points as second-place Seba.

Then there are others such as Boys' Town on 13 awaiting last-place Village, as well as Waterhouse, also on 13, hosting next-to-last August Town at Drewsland.

Seba's coach, Theodore Whit-more, took a while to gather his thoughts on the bench at Ferdie Neita Park on Thursday after his team slumped to their second loss in four days.

"We will just have to go there for a win," he said, looking to the potentially tough away match at Brancourt against Sporting Central, who are third to last in the table but hold 11 points, two behind teams hunting outside chances of making the first round final.

However, if Seba's second-half performance against Portmore should be taken as an indicator, the men from Montego Bay should start favourites.

Trailing 0-1 in the first half, a double substitution by Whitmore forced a 73rd minute equaliser in a period during which Seba players flooded Portmore's penalty box like an inner-city community under curfew.

Tomorrow's games

Reno vs Portmore at 3 p.m.

Sporting Central vs Seba United at 3pm

Arnett Gardens vs Harbour

View at 3pm

Boys' Town vs Village at 3pm

Waterhouse vs August Town at 4pm

Tivoli vs St. George's at 5pm