Gayle knocks Waterhouse finishing

May 16, 2024
Waterhouse’s Nickoy Christian (left) pressures Mount Pleasant Football Academy’s Romeo Guthrie during Sunday’s Jamaica Premier League semi-final encounter at Sabina Park. Defending champions Mount Pleasant won 2-1 to advance to the final 3-2 on aggregate.
Waterhouse’s Nickoy Christian (left) pressures Mount Pleasant Football Academy’s Romeo Guthrie during Sunday’s Jamaica Premier League semi-final encounter at Sabina Park. Defending champions Mount Pleasant won 2-1 to advance to the final 3-2 on aggregate.

Coach Marcel Gayle contends that the chances of progressing to the final would have been better if Waterhouse had been more clinical in their second-leg Jamaica Premier League (JPL) semi-final against Mount Pleasant Football Academy on Sunday.

Mount Pleasant won 2-1 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate to book their place in a second successive final, and Gayle insists they have no excuse.

"In front of goal, we were not as sharp as usual, so we were unfortunate there. Maybe the scoreline would be different if we were luckier, but we find no excuse. We take our licks and come again," he told the post-match press conference.

Although proud of their effort, he believes that had they converted one of the early opportunities, it would have changed the psychology of the match in their favour.

"It was a gallant effort from everybody. We wanted to leave it all on the pitch, but unfortunately, we did not get the go-ahead goal. This is a game of football and sometimes it comes down to inches. If you saw the goals we conceded; on any other day we would have probably defended better.

"We created several chances today and if we had capitalised on those chances, it would be a different ball game," he said.

Gayle described their season as a roller-coaster but believes they have grown enough to make a stronger challenge next season.

"We're looking to challenge again next season. Javane Bryan is in his first Premier League season and is our leading marksman, Jaheim Brown and Christopher Matthews are pretty young players who did well.

"There has been growth in the squad. We could have done some things differently, but we are not complaining. We are grateful," he said.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com

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