JPL best and worst Week 6

Best

Arnett Gardens

Arnett Gardens played with nine men for 40 minutes against Montego Bay United, and yet they managed not only to contain their opponents but got chances to further their advantage in their 3-1 victory on Saturday. Thanks to a brace from Marlon Allen and a strike from Ezran Simpson, the 'Junglists' remain in fourth place with 11 points and are slowly building into becoming a play-off team.

Dunbeholden

Atapharoy Bygrave's lone strike in Dunbeholden's 1-0 win over Tivoli Gardens has continued the club's best-ever start to a Jamaica Premier League (JPL) season in their four-year stay. They have now won four of their first six games in the league and are on 13 points, tied with Waterhouse, but third in the table because of an inferior goal difference. Only three points away from leaders Mount Pleasant, Dunbeholden are in the early hunt not only for a play-off, come summer, but a first-round bye as well.

Harbour View

After a late game-winner doomed them against Cavalier, Harbour View bounced back with a 2-0 win over Portmore United, ending their winless run of two games. The win puts the Stars of the East at sixth place with eight points, and with an opportunity to go on a winning run, with struggling Humble Lion their next opponents.

Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant may no longer be perfect, but they are still yet to be beaten in the JPLeague this season. They took advantage of Waterhouse dropping points against Humble Lion to increase their lead atop the table to three points, after their 4-1 win over Molynes United. They are now in first place with 16 points, setting up a top-of-the-table clash with second-place Waterhouse (13 points) tomorrow, with fully vaccinated fans finally able to see local top-flight football play in-person for the first time in two years.

Fans

Starting this weekend at Drax Hall, fully vaccinated fans will be watching the JPL, ending the two-year hiatus of games without fans in attendance. It is a welcome reward not only for the fans who got themselves inoculated, but a check mark for Professional Football Jamaica Limited, as this has been a target for some time.

Worst

Montego Bay United

Somehow, someway, Montego Bay United couldn't score a goal against nine-man Arnett Gardens. Furthermore, they didn't seem to cause them many problems for the 40 minutes in which they had the advantage, as every attacking threat was easy to defend against in their 3-1 defeat over the weekend. It is a missed opportunity and it will require a revisit of how they seek to be a threat in the final third.

Cavalier

Cavalier head coach, Rudolph Speid, can't seem to explain how they keep accumulating red cards. For the fourth time in six games, Cavalier played a man short, the latest culprit being Cleo Clarke, who was sent off in the 81st minute in their 1-0 defeat by Vere United. Whether deserved or not, Cavalier will have to reshuffle their line-up again, with personnel already short in the midfield. Somehow, they have to try and find a way to keep all 11 players on the field or it will continue to be a rocky season.

Molynes United

After the high of their win against Waterhouse last week, Molynes United were quickly brought down to earth by league leaders Mount Pleasant, as they were routed 4-1 last Sunday. With a clash against current bottom club Tivoli Gardens incoming, it could be the match that they need to make a run up the table and give them some sort of platform in their quest for the top six.

Portmore United

The rebuild process under head coach Lenworth Hyde is experiencing growing pains. They are now winless in three games, which include two defeats, the latest being to Harbour View 2-0, which puts them in eighth place after six games. While Hyde has exercised patience with his young core, they will need to get some results in order to not fall behind the pack in their bid for a play-off place.