Javane Bryan is in the middle of his debut season in the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League at 27 years old.

Admittedly, he has joined the party late, compared to the many others who are now plying their trade in the top league of Jamaican football and that is exactly why the Waterhouse FC striker believes that he has something to prove.

“It took me so long to get here, now I’m here and making a statement and showing the reason I belong here,” said the striker who is now the leading scorer in the league at the end of match week 15.

Bryan does not lack in confidence and credits his journey to the Wray & Nephew Premier League with the instant success he has been enjoying in front of goal.

“Even though it’s my first time playing in the Premier League, other leagues that I played in I used to execute in them just as well, so I bring it forth into the Premier League. I have taken my chances when I have gotten them and made use of them,” he insisted.

The former Tivoli Gardens High School player who had his final season in schoolboy football, was stymied by a position change just when he was hoping for his breakthrough.

“I went to Tivoli Gardens High school and played Pepsi (U-14) and Colts (U-16). I didn’t get to play outfield in Manning Cup because I had to take the responsibility in goal when the goalkeeper got a red card in the first game.

“So from there on, I was in the goal until he got back into the squad and then I was on the bench. After that I stopped keeping and went back outfield,” he explained.

After leaving high school Bryan returned to his preferred position where he again started to thrive.

“My first senior season was with Rae Town playing in the Super League where I started playing centre forward and then I moved on to Vere United and won the Super League with them. From Vere I went to Falmouth FC and then to Meadforest, before moving to Waterhouse in the premier league this season.”

Bryan is currently half-way towards his season’s target with just over half of the season played.

“I am looking forward to about 20 goals. I just have to work hard. Every chance I get, I just have to make use of it,” he reasoned.

He opened his goal-scoring account in the premier league with a brace against Montego Bay United in the second match of the season and hit double figures when the teams played out a 2-2 draw in the return leg on Monday night when he scored the opening goal of the contest.

Waterhouse sits just outside the playoff positions in seventh place on 20 points, but Bryan has total confidence is his team going all the way this season.

 

“With the group of players I am playing with, I think we have the squad that can do it. I believe in my team, and I believe in myself and the coaching staff and the management staff that this Waterhouse team can win this title,” he proclaimed.

After separating himself from Tivoli Gardens striker Justin Dunn who has nine goals, Bryan will be hoping to push on in the race for the Golden Boot which would certainly be a highlight in his premier league debut season.

Javane Bryan celebrates one of his goals against Montego Bay United at the Stadium East Field in mid-October.

Arnett Gardens FC defeated Harbour View FC 3-0 at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Monday to secure a top-two spot and a place in the semi-finals of the Jamaica Premier League.

Arnett’s win moves their points tally to 52 from 25 games, meaning they can only be passed by Cavalier on goal difference in next week’s 26th and final game week before the playoffs.

Second-placed Cavalier moved to 49 points from 25 games after defeating Molynes United 4-2 in the first game of the Monday doubleheader.

Mount Pleasant, who drew 1-1 with Humble Lion on Sunday, are also assured of a place in the top four with 46 points while Harbour View are fourth with 43.

Harbour View will need to avoid defeat in their final game against Vere United to book their spot as Humble Lion are only two points behind them in fifth. Humble Lion will take on Waterhouse at the Waterhouse Stadium in their final game.

The rest of the games in week 26 will see Dunbeholden face Mount Pleasant at the Ferdie Neita Sports Complex, Molynes United face Portmore United at UWI, Arnett Gardens face Tivoli Gardens at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex, Montego Bay United face Cavalier at Wespow Park and Faulkland face Chapleton Maroons at Drax Hall.

 

Jamaica Premier League clubs, Cavalier FC and Waterhouse FC will be beneficiaries of the largesse of the Jamaican government, which is allocating JMD$ 2 million (approximately US$13,000) towards their participation in the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championships.

The clubs will represent Jamaica at the championships that will be held in the Dominican Republic between May 13 and 25, 2022. Teams from Haiti and the Dominican Republic will also be participating in the tournament.

“These are challenging times for everyone but out of love for our people and sports, the Ministry gladly obliged when called on again to assist,” said Jamaica’s Minister of Gender, Culture, Entertainment and Sports Olivia Grange.

“The nation will be rooting for Cavalier and Waterhouse and we are happy that all the games will be televised live in 26 countries.”

Defending champions Cavalier got the new Jamaica Premier League season underway with a win against Arnett Gardens FC in an enthralling encounter at the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence in Kingston.

Central defender, Jamoi Topey, gave Cavalier the lead in the 60th minute before Chavany Willis got an equaliser that he thought would salvage a draw in the 96th minute.

Cavalier forward Shaniel Thomas had other ideas as he slotted home a right-footed effort in the 97th minute to secure a win and three points for the two-time champions.

The second match on Sunday was also an exciting one between four-time champions Waterhouse FC and Montego Bay United, who have also won the title four times.

Montego Bay United took the lead in the 57th minute through Giovanni Reid before Waterhouse equalised in the 72nd minute through an Andre Fletcher penalty.

Waterhouse completed the comeback in the 81st minute through a goal from Devroy Grey.  The action then shifted to Monday, January 17 with two more matches.

Dunbeholden FC and Vere United FC contested the first game with Dunbeholden securing a 2-1 victory.

They took the lead in the eighth minute through an excellent header from Atapharoy Bygrave before Lampard Neil tied things up for Vere in the 57th minute.

Substitute Jahmiel Hardware secured the three points for Dunbeholden with a well-placed free kick in the 92nd minute.

In the second match, goals from Warner Brown in the 42nd minute and Shai Smith in the 87th minute ensured that five-time winners Tivoli Gardens FC and seven-time winners Portmore United FC played out a 1-1 draw.

On Tuesday, four-time champions Harbour View FC and Molynes United FC played out a 2-2 draw thanks to double strikes from Trayvon Reid and Nicholas Nelson.

Nelson gave Molynes United the lead in the 42nd minute before Reid made it 1-1 in the 45th minute.

The 58th minute saw Nelson get his second to give Molynes United a 2-1 lead before Reid once again equalized in the 90th minute to ensure the points were shared.

In the second game on the day, goals from Daniel Green in the 14th and 43rd minutes, as well as strikes from Allan Ottey in the 17th, Ricardo Morris in the 45th, and Donovan Segree in the 90th helped Mount Pleasant FA secure the biggest win of the round, a 5-1 rout of Humble Lion FC.

Cory Hylton got Humble Lion’s consolation goal in the 83rd minute.

The second round of matches kicks off on Saturday.

 

Waterhouse FC thrashed Molynes United 4-1 to secure a place in the Jamaica Premier League playoffs in the first match of a triple-header at the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence on Friday.

Waterhouse FC blanked Mount Pleasant FA 2-0 in Saturday’s clash between two Jamaica Premier League heavyweights at the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence.

Waterhouse and Vere United battled to a 0-0 stalemate in their Jamaica Premier League match at the Stadium East field.

Vere United are showing that they belong with another sturdy, well-organized display that earned them a share of the points with their more celebrated opponents. The team that flirted with relegation in the last campaign have now climbed to fourth spot with five points, the same as Waterhouse, who are third because of a better goal difference.

However, it was a game that Waterhouse should have won as they created more and better chances throughout. The Drewsland-based team had 16 shots, seven of them on target and enjoyed 55 per cent of the possession.

Meanwhile, the Clarendon-based Vere United had only two shots and one on target, but they stuck to their game plan and defended stoutly, led by the uncompromising Ricardo Campbell, who was voted Man-of-the-Match.

Head coach Donovan Duckie said he was pleased with sharing the points against one of the league’s best teams.

“We knew that getting a point from this game would be a good achievement for us,” said Duckie. “We understand what is against us, those teams were playing in the CONCACAF league and are more prepared than us and I thought we did exceptionally well.”

Waterhouse’s assistant coach Damion Gordon thought his team played well but just did not get the desired result.

“I am not disappointed with the performance of the team but with the result. We did move the ball in changing the point of attack but they defended well,” said Gordon. “It’s a game-by-game situation and there will be games like this.”

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