Best and Worst RPSL Week 28

BEST

Waterhouse

Waterhouse managed to hold serve in their push to secure the regular season title after defeating relegation, doomed UWI FC 3-1 at home on Sunday. They managed to produce a quick response after their defeat to Tivoli Gardens last week, maintaining their marginal lead atop the standings. The next two games, however, will be massive tests for the Marcel Gayle-coached team as they will travel to the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex for a crucial match against Arnett Gardens on Monday night and against Mount Pleasant the following week. Monday night's game will be poignant for both clubs, who, in their own way, will hope to honour the memory of slain former national player Irvino English.

Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant will have to depend on a Waterhouse slip-up in their remaining games to pip them to the regular season. But for now they are doing their part in maintaining their winning form after beating Molynes United 1-0 at Drax Hall on Sunday, extending their winning streak to four games. March 16 will be a crucial day for the club, as their clash against Waterhouse at the Waterhouse Mini Stadium will mostly likely decide the destination of the regular season crown. Before that they will hope to gain avenge for their December 23 defeat to Cavalier when they face each other again on Sunday.

Arnett Gardens

Arnett Garden's 1-0 win over Cavalier SC on Monday was well needed in terms of keeping them in the play-off chase, and also to begin the healing process for a club still mourning the death of their assistant coach, Irvino English. They moved back into sixth place with 41 points. Their west Kingston rivals Tivoli Gardens are their strongest challengers in what will be a tight race for the final play-off spot. With the gap in points between the contenders so tight with five games to go, there is no margin for error. Monday's game against Waterhouse will be massive and critical for both teams that will have play-off and regular season title implications.

Tivoli Gardens

Tivoli Gardens could not have asked for a better two weeks. After edging out league leaders Waterhouse 4-3, they held off the challenge of defending champions Portmore United 1-0 at the Spanish Town Prison last Sunday. The Phillip Williams-coached team are brimming with confidence now, having defeated the finalist for last season's championship and have strengthen their own cases for a play-off berth. Although they are still in seventh place by virtue of Arnett Gardens winning their Monday night game, they increased their points tally to 40 points and could make a move into top six on a more permanent scale this weekend should they defeat Vere United this weekend, and other results pan out in their favour.

WORST

Portmore United

Portmore United's return to league play after their Concacaf Champions League round-of-16 exit was not positive as they lost their first home game since January, a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Tivoli Gardens. But the team will have no reason to panic as they still have two games in hand, including yesterday's rescheduled fixture against Harbour View and their game against Humble Lion on March 12. A return to winning form in both or either one of those games should bring them one step closer to play-off qualification.

Harbour View

Harbour View's 2-0 loss to Dunbeholden on Sunday left them six points from the play-off places and facing a tough run of games to give themselves a chance of qualifying. Depending on yesterday's game in hand against Portmore United, they would have either given themselves a fighting chance or be stuck with a lot to do with the club running out of games to make a run up the table. Every game from now on will have to be treated like a cup final, starting with this Sunday's trip to Molynes United. Then they will have two tough games, the first against Humble Lion, and surging Tivoli Gardens.

Vere United

Realistically, Vere United will have to prepare for a return to the bottom division and make another run at promotion for the following season. Their 1-0 home defeat by Humble Lion in the Clarendon derby has all but confirmed their relegation fate. With Molynes needing at least one more win to secure their place for next season, their job now could be the role of spoilers for those who have aspirations of play-offs, first/round byes or the regular season title. They travel to the Edward Seaga Sports Complex on Sunday to face Tivoli Gardens, hoping to throw a wrench into the play-off dreams of the west Kingston club.

Cavalier SC

Cavalier are still alive in the playoff hunt but took a big hit when losing 1-0 to Arnett Gardens at home, their third home defeat of the season. The loss was their third straight to Arnett Gardens this season and kept them in eighth place with 36 points, five away from the top six. At this point, the final spot is out of their hands, with the Rudolph Speid-coached team needing to win all their remaining five games and hope that the teams above them falter. They have a difficult assignment ahead when they face Mount Pleasant this Sunday, but will take comfort in the fact that they tasted victory in their last visit to Drax Hall on December 23.