CLOSING THE GAP on early leaders Meridian Youth Milan!
That will be one goal tonight for defending champions Claytons Kola Tonic Notre Dame and long-standing rival, Mackeson Brittons Hill when they lock horns in what has become the biggest battle in local football in recent years.
The two St Michael powerhouses clash in the feature match at 8 p.m. in another Digicel Premier League triple header at the National Stadium.
This eagerly awaited encounter which usually generates plenty of interest and a sizeable crowd will be preceded by a 4 p.m. game between Paradise and Bagatelle, while Pride of Gall Hill and St John Sonnets, both smarting from defeats last Thursday, will meet at 6 p.m.
After a first match loss to Youth Milan, Paradise rebounded with two commanding 5-0 and 5-2 victories over Crane and Equipment Ellerton and Sportingbet Pinelands, highlighted by hat-tricks from young striker Armando Lashley, whose six goals make him the season’s joint leading marksman with Milan’s Kenroy Skinner.
But Paradise, with coach/player Kent Hall masterminding their plays in midfield, should not underestimate Bagatelle, whose spirits have certainly been lifted by their maiden Premiership victory (3-1) over Ellerton last Thursday when Imroon Ponteen and Arantes Lawrence took centre stage.
Gall Hill, also smarting from a narrow 1-0 loss to ICE Wales, could have a tricky encounter with Sonnets, who were somewhat unfortunate to go under to Youth Milan in their last outing by a similar scoreline.
With the fans of Youth Milan prematurely proclaiming their team as this year’s champions after a dream start to the season with five consecutive victories for the maximum 15 points, both Brittons Hill and the Dames will be seeking to trim this lead.
After starting off with two victories over new boys Bagatelle and St John Sonnets, the Dames have not been able to complete another match.
They have been inactive for the past two weeks due to not playing matches against Ellerton and Pinelands, which were scheduled for Friendship where the field markings were incorrect.
While that break may have made the players a bit rusty and ruined their rhythm, it may also have allowed the likes of long-serving captain John “Nobby” Parris and defensive midfielder Renaldo “Piou” Gilkes to recover from injuries.
The Dames will also need former Barbados sweeper Rommell Brathwaite at the centre of their defence in front of goalkeeper Kareem Farrell as they can expect non-stop pressure by the Brittons Hill strikers.
Brittons Hill, even with Riviere Williams sidelined by injury, have plenty of options with the likes of Walton Burrowes, Henderson Richardson, Edwin Brereton and Ricky Barnes.
Rondelle Vaughan’s presence in midfield alongside Jeffrey Williams and Zadkigah Samuels, has given Brittons Hill a creative playmaker, with hard-tackling oldstager Luther Watson performing the holding defensive job.
The Lavine brothers, Maradona up front alongside the promising Decarlo Jemmott and Donovan in midfield, will also need to step up to the plate for the Dames, who have lost their 2010 Player Of The Year, Kyle Gibson to the Barbados Defence Force’s Sports Programme.
But Dames are a never-say-die side and the experienced Rudy Grosvenor and Bryan Neblett who have faithfully served the Bayland-based outfit and can be relied on to come up with something special.
