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• Cavalier take 1-0 advantage over H'View; Arnett, Mt Pleasant square at 2-2 in JPL semis

  Cavalier Football Club’s Head coach Rudolph Speid says his team has no intentions of resting on their laurels, after edging reigning champions Harbour View 1-0, in the first leg of their Jamaica Premier League (JPL) semi-final tie at Sabina Park on Monday.

  Orlando Russell’s second goal against Harbour View and third overall this season, proved the all-important strike that handed Speid’s youthful team the advantage ahead of Sunday’s return-leg at the same venue.

  “What we tried to do was not to concede any goals and take what we got and that is what happened. But I think we need one or two more goals to be safe and so we will be pushing for that in the next game,” Speid said.

  After playing out a goalless first half where both teams had their moments, Cavalier found the go-ahead goal seven minutes after the interval through a well-worked build up orchestrated by Nickache Murray.

  Murray floated a delicate pass over the top, which was headed across by Jerome McCleary for Orlando Russell to apply the finishing touch at the far post.

  Harbour View came close to pulling level in the 62nd minute, but Cristojaye Daley’s well-struck left-footed drive from a distance, was equally well-saved by Vino Barclett, diving full-stretch to his right, in goal for Cavalier.

  Cavalier could have extended their lead in the latter stages when the league’s leading scorer Collin Anderson got away from Harbour View’s defenders but fired a right-footed effort straight at goalkeeper Romario Palma, despite having enough space and time to set and shoot.

  For Harbour View’s Head coach Ludlow Bernard, its back to the training pitch to assess their mistakes and make the necessary adjustments for the second leg.

  “We ran out of ideas up top and so we paid the price for it. We didn’t capitalize on what was probably a tired Cavalier team, but we have some things that we clearly need to look because we are now under one-nil, so we just have to reset and come again,” Bernard stated.

  Meanwhile, the second semi-final between Arnett Gardens and Mount Pleasant remain evenly poised, as they played out an entertaining 2-2 stalemate in a game that ensured the large crowd did not leave disappointed.

  The inform Leonardo Rankin (17th) and Trivante Stewart (63rd), got the goals for the St Ann-based Mount Pleasant, who went in front twice, but Shai Smith (30th) and Fabian Reid (66th), ensured Arnett Gardens, remained in contention.

  It was mostly end-to-end action from the start, but it was Mount Pleasant that drew first blood when Rankin deflected Demario Phillips’s weighted corner kick past Eric Edwards in goal for Arnett Gardens.

  However, the “Junglists” were back on level terms 13 minutes later when Ajuma Johnson’s weighted cross found the head of the rangy Smith, who made no mistakes in guiding past Shaquan Davis.

  As the score remained unchanged at the break, both teams against came out firing on the resumption, throwing their weight in attack, but again, it was Mount Pleasant that found the go-ahead goal three minutes past the hour mark.  

  Stewart outsprinted two defenders before squeezing a right-footer past the advancing Edwards to register his 16th goal this season.

  But the celebrations were short-lived, as Reid also registered his 16th goal of the season when he utilized a cheeky first touch to create space for a right-footed drive that had Davis well beaten.

  Both teams continued to create chances and could have secured the advantage, but for a lack of composure in the final third.

  Still, both Paul “Tegat” Davis of Arnett Gardens and his counterpart Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore, agreed that it was a fair result, as it is anybody’s game come Sunday.

• Bradford eyes strong finish from young Reggae Girlz at U-20 Champs, hopes to stay on with programme, but calls for better preparation ahead of future tournaments

  Despite a failed bid at an historic FIFA Women’s Under-20 World Cup qualification, Hugh Bradford is optimistic about staying on with the national programme, as he believes he has more to offer to Jamaica’s football development.

  However, at the same time, the American-based coach is also hopeful that things will be done differently to better nurture, and, by extension, prepare the country’s young talents to perform in a competitive environment.

  Bradford’s comments came, as he continues to assess the young Reggae Girlz performances in consecutive 0-4 losses to regional powerhouses Canada and United States, at the Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship in Dominican Republic.

  The Girlz are scheduled to close out their Group A campaign against Panama at Felix Sanchez Stadium in Santo Domingo on Tuesday at 2:00 pm.

  “I hope to continue with the programme, but that will be up to the Jamaica Football Federation to decide. I also hope to see our country put things in place for our youngest players that will help to get them ready for this stage, both in Jamaica and abroad,” Bradford said.

  “There is no doubt that we have a lot of talent. However, as a country, for us to play against the best, we have to constantly make changes to how we treat our football development to keep up with the world, but more so in Concacaf,” he added.

  While disappointed that his young Reggae Girlz failed to keep the United States at bay on Sunday, Bradford lauded his team for putting in a much-improved performance, from a defensive perspective in particular, when compared to their opening defeat against Canada.

  As such, the tactician is eyeing a similar of even better all-round execution against fellow strugglers Panama, as both teams, who are without a point or a goal, seek to salvage some pride from their failed campaigns.

  “I am hoping the team will play another good game as they did against USA, we didn’t get on the scoresheet as we would have liked, but again, it all comes down to focus and how we prepare ourselves to take on the best,” the tactician noted.

   “As a team you have to be at your best for 90+ minutes, so their fitness level matters and that is an all-year thing. But I think the ladies should be able to put in a better showing against Panama and so we look forward to what should be another good game,” said Bradford.

  Both United States, the reigning seven-time champions, and Canada, on six points each, will lock horns in the Group A top-of-the-table clash, at 5:00 pm.

  The winner will take on Group B runners-up Costa Rica, while the loser will have to contend with Mexico in Friday’s semi-finals.

  The two finalists and third-place team will qualify for next year’s Under-20 World Cup.

• Keith Watson keen to highlight Ross County’s form as they fight for survival

  Keith Watson is adamant relegation-threatened Ross County can take heart from their own recent form as they bid to topple free-scoring Championship promotion hopefuls Partick Thistle in this week’s Premiership play-off.

  The Staggies must defeat the Jags over two legs to survive in the top flight for a fifth consecutive season after defeat in their final match at Kilmarnock on Sunday consigned them to 11th place.

  Much has been made of the fact Partick have scored an impressive 16 goals in their four play-off matches so far against Queen’s Park and Ayr.

  But Watson was keen to point out that his own side have been in good enough form to move off the foot of the Premiership table over the past month despite being four points adrift and seemingly doomed to bottom spot with five games to play.

  “They are obviously on a decent run, because they have had to win games to get to the final,” the County captain said when asked whether Partick’s momentum might give them an edge.

  “But going into the split we were four points adrift at the bottom and we just fell short on the last day, so I don’t think we are on poor form by any means.

  “We have been picking up results recently, it’s not as if we have not been playing very well.

  “The boys know what’s at stake. We need to try and keep as upbeat as we can, we can’t dwell on (finishing second bottom) too much.

  “Anything can happen, and we want to make sure we stay in this league.

  Although he admits Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at Killie was “a sore one”, Watson believes the form and “fight” his team have shown recently will stand them in good stead for the play-offs, with the first leg at Firhill this Thursday.

  “Going into the split we were four points adrift, and maybe a lot of people wrote us off a wee bit,” said the Staggies defender.

  “But we just keep on fighting. We don’t know when we are down and we don’t know when we are beaten.

  “We showed that against St Johnstone when we were 2-0 down and we came back (to draw 3-3 last Wednesday).

  “There is plenty fight and effort in the team. We’ve just got to make sure we take that into the last two games and show the same effort and fight we have shown to get back involved again.

  “We’ve got a few days to prepare and do our work on Partick. The boys are disappointed, but we are not down. We have got two games to stay in the league.

  “We will be going into that first leg on Thursday really looking forward to it. We’ve got two games to save our season, and we will be giving it everything we’ve got.”