TG, Boys’ Town favoured in Bell semis
DEFENDING champion Tivoli Gardens and Boys’ Town should brush aside Cavaliers and August Town, respectively, in their Claro KSAFA Jackie Bell KO semi-final games at the Harbour View Mini-Stadium today.
In the first semi-final involving two Premier League teams, Boys’ Town will tackle August Town at 4:00 pm, while Tivoli play Super League leaders Cavaliers at 6:00.
Tivoli , who turned back Premier League leaders Harbour View in the quarter-final, should prove too much for Cavaliers.
They defeated Harbour View 3-1 on aggregate after battling to a 1-1 draw in the second leg. They won the first leg 2-0 at home.
Meanwhile, Cavaliers upset Waterhouse on the away-goal rule after playing to a 1-1 at Drewsland on January 27. The first leg ended 0-0.
Despite their heroics, Cavaliers — playing in a division lower than their opponents — will find it hard to deny Tivoli from advancing to the final.
It is unlikely they will continue another giantkilling act, although the one-off semi-final will certainly suit them over a two-leg tie.
The diminutive Loxley Thompson is their leading goalscorer and he is no stranger to top-flight football, having played at Arnett Gardens.
Thompson should be ably supported by Gee Daley, Donovan Alveranga, Paul Grant, Julian Nugent, Francis Swaby and David Laylor, all of whom are harbouring thoughts of playing in the Premier League next season.
The other semi-final should be very intriguing, although both Boys’ Town and August Town suffered DPL defeats last Wednesday.
August Town had their three-game winning streak snapped, but seem to be heading in the right direction, and Boys’ Town must be careful despite their big 13-2 aggregate quarter-final win.
The Red Brigade outclassed Major League outfit Greenwich Town, 11-0, in the second leg at Collie Smith Drive after playing to a 2-2 draw in the first leg at Tinson Pen.
August Town turned back the inconsistent Arnett Gardens 3-0 on aggregate after playing to a 0-0 draw in their first encounter.
In their first match-up, Boys’ Town won 2-0 at Collie Smith Drive on October 25, while the second round game on January 3 ended 1-1 at UWI.