MOUNT PLEASANT FA VS ARNETT GARDENS — If we can’t take three points then we take one, says Arnett’s Thomas
DRAX HALL, St Ann — Mount Pleasant Football Academy (FA) will be going after back-to-back home victories when they host Arnett Gardens Football Club in one of four Red Stripe Premier League games at Drax Hall today starting at 4:00 pm.
The second-year club, who are unbeaten over their last three games after losing their opening game at home, are in seventh place on five points, two places and one point ahead of the South St Andrew-based Arnett Gardens, who they beat once in three meetings last year.
After a last-gasp win over Tivoli Gardens FC two weeks ago, Mount Pleasant FA’s Coach Paul “Tegat” Davis thinks building on that momentum is the first priority.
“We are at home and we need to be confident and to control the game and not to make Arnett get too comfortable,” Davis told the Jamaica Observer.
Davis argues that despite only scoring three goals in four games, his team is showing marked improvement and will only get better. “We are getting the chances and we need to start making them count; we need to convert them — our build-ups are good and the hard work is showing,” he said. “But we need to start scoring to take some of the pressure off.”
Davis says he will have a bigger squad to choose from with a number of players who missed the earlier games ready to join the game day squad, but he said he was not going to rush them back.
“We have a great atmosphere here right now and some of the players who started the season injured are ready, but they have to show me and have to pressure those ahead of them for spots on the team and get playing time.”
Davis appears to have settled on his starting team and Francois Swaby, Cardel Benbow, Kemar Beckford, and Daniel Green could be those expected to lead the offence today against an Arnett Gardens team that has let in five goals in their four games and are winless in their last two games.
Despite their frustrations at the offensive end, Mount Pleasant have only allowed three goals and just one in their last three games and the defence led by skipper Ladale Richie and anchored by goalkeeper Joseph Vargas has stood up well so far.
Alex Thomas, Arnett Gardens’ coach, is well-aware of the work they have ahead of them, especially with the home support decidedly in favour of Mount Pleasant.
“We know it’s going to be a hard game and with their 12th-man, we have to try to silence them. But the plan to is to get three points and if we don’t then we will take one, but we hope not to lose the game.”
Arnett Gardens are still trying to find their best starting team and with a number of players expected to be out due to injuries, Thomas said they would have to find a blend that will work today.
