Defending champs determined to protect reputation against new boys

Ryon Jones, Staff Reporter

Portmore United's coach, Andre Waugh, believes his team has the club's reputation to protect when they travel to Stadium East to tackle Cavalier, in the 24th round of the Red Stripe Premier League, on Sunday, in a contest set for 5 p.m.

The defending champions lie second in the 12-team standings on 38 points and are also looking to keep pace with runaway leaders Harbour View, who have amassed 48 points.

Cavalier, who returned to the country's top-flight this season, lie sixth in the standings on 34 points. The David Laylor-coached team has, how-ever, got the better of Portmore in their two meetings this season, beating them 2-1 in both home and away ties.

"For us it is about going out there to getting three points," Waugh said.

"Harbour View is already out there in front, but also we have not beaten this team (Cavalier) all season. This team has taken six points from us over the last two meetings, so it is an opportunity for us to really go out there and demonstrate the quality that we know we can display against this opposition.

"At an organisation such as Portmore there is a lot of pride and reputation at stake and for us it is always about going out there and demonstrating that you don't get to be five-time champions and defending champions without a lot of work. You don't build that reputation overnight and it is for us to continue to defend that reputation."

Portmore are coming off a disappointing 1-1 home draw with cellar-dwellers Savannah in their opening third round match, coming on the back of their 1-0 loss to Boys' Town in their ultimate second round match.

"The draw was a disappointment, but that is behind us and now we are looking at Cavaliers," Waugh said.

"Our approach to the game is to dominate in all the thirds of the field, especially in their defence. If we dominate in their defines we should come away victors."

Laylor believes that the recent success Cavalier have enjoyed against Portmore will count for nothing on Sunday, as his team is not guaranteed another win.

"Portmore is a good team, so not because we have gotten the better of them in latter games, they have good coaches. The team that wants it more and is more focused will come out on top," Laylor said.

Cavalier, who topped the second-round standings and made it to the second-end-of-round finals, where they lost to Harbour View, have also failed to win in their last two outings. They were beaten 1-0 by Boys' Town last weekend and had played to a 0-0 draw with Highgate in the previous round.

"The team just needs to focus, I believe if we focus with the way Cavalier normally plays, we should come out on top," Laylor said.

"They (Portmore) are a hard-running team and they have good players, so we will have to play a discipline game in all areas."

Waugh's main area of concern is his team's finishing, with them having managed a mere 30 goals in 23 games. Cavalier have feared even worse in that department, however, with 24 goals from their 23 games.

"Our major problem is our ability to put the ball in the back of the net, so if we can sort that out, I believe we can put more pressure on the leaders," Waugh added.

Waugh will be without the services of Kareem Manning, Paul Wilson and Cleon Price who are all in camp with the national Under-20 squad.

For Cavalier, Jeffery Henry, Mitchily Waul and Giovanni Samuda are all likely to miss the game due to injury.

Cavalier's team is set to reflect five changes from the team that contested the second round with Rohan Reid (Arnett), Deno Schaffe (Tivoli), Odain Simpson (Arnett), Andre Aiken (Tivoli) and Mikhail Robinson (Portmore) all set to start after coming in during the January transfer window.