Waite hoping for strong support as TG return home

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February 12, 2025

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Tivoli’s head coach Jerome Waite

WEST KINGSTON-BASED Tivoli Gardens FC will play their first match at home in more than five years when they entertain Chapelton Maroons in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) at the Edward Seaga Complex today. Kick-off time is 3 p.m.

Tivoli last played a home game in the 2019-20 JPL season, which was abandoned after the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jerome Waite, the Tivoli coach, said it is always good to have that strong home support behind the team, and he is looking for maximum support from the fans.

"It will be our first home game for the season and also over a very long period of time, and we expect the support to be maximised and be fully behind the team," Waite said.

After a dramatic 5-3 defeat by arch rivals Arnett Gardens in their last match, Tivoli stayed in eighth position on 27 points, one behind seventh-place Racing and seven adrift of Waterhouse in sixth.

Waite said the objective is to start winning again, so they can resume their climb up the standings.

"We had a hiccup the last game and we have tried to put that behind us and move forward. Chapelton are playing some good football and they are showing consistency. So they are a team that you cannot take lightly," he added.

Chapelton are 11th with 20 points. They started life well under newly appointed coach Jermaine Douglas in December, losing only once in five games and picking up eight points over the period. However, in their last five matches they have four defeats and one win, and another defeat could see them slipping into the bottom two, if teams below them also win.

Tivoli will be hoping seventh-place Racing slip up against Humble Lion so they can overtake them in the standings.

However, Racing are the in-form team in the league at present, with four successive wins and unbeaten in five while Humble Lion, their opponents today, are at the bottom of the table on 14 points.

At Ferdie Neita Park, the resurgent Dunbeholden under returning coach Harold Thomas, will welcome the unpredictable Portmore United.

Dunbeholden, 10th on 22 points, have quickly climbed out of the relegation zone since Thomas returned and will look to continue their trek up the standings with victory over Portmore.

Although Portmore (fourth on 38 points) tend to drop points regularly, they do not lose many games, only four thus far this season. So even if they are not at their best it will not be easy for the visitors to come away with all three points.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com