JPL Best and Worst Week 24

BEST

ATAPHAROY BYGRAVE

It has taken him a while, but Mount Pleasant's Atapharoy Bygrave showed the signs of the form that won him last season's Golden Boot with a hat-trick against already relegated Chapelton Maroons in their overwhelming 7-0 win. Now that they are guaranteed a playoff spot, head coach Theodore Whitmore's job is to get them fine-tuned, so they can finally fulfil their promise in the postseason.

DUNBEHOLDEN

Is it a matter of too little too late for Dunbeholden? Well, they are not giving up their playoff fight after their 3-1 win over Vere United. However, they are five points from the last playoff spot, and their fate is out of their hands. They have to win their next two games and hope that Humble Lion or Waterhouse lose their last two to sneak into the playoffs.

ARNETT GARDENS

The 'Junglists' are now in pole position to claim the regular season title after blanking Faulkland 2-0, thanks to first-half goals from Fabian Reid and Jaheim Thomas. If they can close out their last two games, it would be their first regular season crown since the 2014-15 season. With a three-point gap against nearest challengers, Cavalier, they need to be vigilant.

JASON WRIGHT

Molynes United have Jason Wright to thank for reaching the 30-point mark for the first time in their stay in the top flight, as his hat-trick was the difference in their 4-3 win over Tivoli Gardens. While it has been an up-and-down season for Molynes, head coach Alex Thomas can be encouraged by the performances, looking to build towards next season.

WORST

RAYMOND ANDERSON

Maybe it was a slip of the tongue or an honest mistake, but JFF vice-president Raymond Anderson made a grave error by saying that the two bottom teams would not get relegated after this season when it was set in stone with the 2022 relaunch. Anderson clarified his comments, saying there was an initial plan to cease relegation for one more season, but Professional Football Jamaica Limited requested that those plans be shelved.

FAULKLAND

With only one win in their campaign, Faulkland were not going to go anywhere. Their relegation fate was sealed by Arnett Gardens in their 2-0 defeat, and now they will have to wait two more seasons to try and get back into the top flight as they will not be going back directly into the Tier II competition.

CHAPELTON MAROONS

Chapelton Maroons are not going out of the JPL with a bang but with a whimper. Clovis De Oliveira was sacked after relegation was confirmed last week, and he did not oversee their Lynk Cup quarterfinal exit against Portmore. They were exposed in their 7-0 defeat to Mount Pleasant. All they can do now is to show some pride in their remaining two games.