Though they would have preferred to take all three points, Arnett Gardens Head coach Xavier Gilbert and Davion Ferguson of Mount Pleasant took heart from a point as their teams played out a 1-1 stalemate in an entertaining Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League clash at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Wednesday evening.
Kimani Arbouine (12th) gave Arnett Gardens the lead before a Kimoni Bailey, now sporting a low cut instead of his signature dread locked, secured Mount Pleasant a share of the spoils with a 42nd minute strike, as both teams showed attacking flair and tactical discipline, in patches, as well as moments of real drama.
With the point, the ‘Junglists’ slipped to eight position on five points, while their St Ann-based opponents extend their tidy start to the campaign in fifth on seven points from three games.
Ferguson, an assistant to Head coach Theodore Whitmore lauded the performance by his players.
“We have managed to bring some good players to St Ann over the last two seasons, but overall I think we have a very good unit. I think we gave up a very easy goal but we created enough chances in the game to actually win the game. That is something that is plaguing us, but at the end of the day a point away to Arnett in the jungle is a point that we are always grateful for,” Ferguson stated.
Meanwhile, Gilbert believes his team gave a good account despite the heavy underfoot conditions caused by persistent rain.
“It wasn’t one of our best performance but we knew the conditions would have made things difficult. Still, I don’t think we were smart enough and the goal scoring opportunity that we got worked out how we wanted it to, but we didn’t do it consistently enough and that was my disappointment.
“But it was a tough contest for us, I am happy that we didn’t lose and that is important that we start getting back some points on the table. So it was a gutsy performance and we take it and move on,” Gilbert noted.
The contested started with high intensity as Mount Pleasant, in particular, sought to impose themselves early. They got off the first warning shot through Jean Claudio Rios Ferreira, whose right-footed effort from a distance, wasn’t far off target.
However, it was Arnett Gardens who found the breakthrough in the 13th minute when a mix up between Mount Pleasant’s goalkeeper Shaquan Davis and a defender, allowed Arbouine to pounce and fire home his third of the season.
Despite falling behind, Mount Pleasant didn’t back down. They responded with a few decent attacks which produced half chances that they failed to make count.
But, their persistence paid off just before halftime when Bailey fired home from a melee after Arnett’s custodian Richardo White spilled a freekick from Ferreira to level the scores at 1-1 at the break.
The second half was a similarly a thrilling affair, as both teams continued to attack with purpose. Arnett Gardens had a few chances to take the lead, particularly through the dangerous Arbouine, who went on the break in the 70th, but his effort was kept out by a firm hand from Davis.
Three minutes later, Warner Brown also went close for Arnett Gardens when he was allowed a free-header to Philando Wing’s weighted cross, but Davis again came up big to tip over the crossbar.
Mount Pleasant also had their moments, as their attacking front was ably aided by full-back and Man-of-the-match Gadial Irving, who caused problems with his distribution and vision.
One of those services should have secured the points for Mount Pleasant but Kyle Ming, who couldn’t keeper his header down in the 87th minute and so they were left to share the spoils.
Wednesday’s results
Waterhouse 2, Vere United 1
Montego Bay United 4, Molynes United 0
Arnett Gardens 1, Mount Pleasant 1
Harbour View 1, Portmore United 2
Racing United vs Cavalier (Postponed)
Dunbeholden FC vs Tivoli Gardens (Postponed)
Jamaica’s Mount Pleasant FA and Trinidad and Tobago’s AC Port of Spain and Police FC are among teams that will be hoping to position themselves for a semi-final berth as the Concacaf Caribbean Cup continues on Tuesday.
Two Group B encounters will get the week’s action under way, with Haiti’s Ouanaminthe set to host Antigua’s Grenades in the Dominican Republic, while AC Port of Spain welcomes the other Dominican Republic outfit, Cibao FC.
Meanwhile, the Group A contests between another Haitian club Real Hope and Arnett Gardens are set for Wednesday, with Police FC and Mount Pleasant set to rub shoulders on Thursday.
Ouanaminthe FC vs. Grenades FC
With both teams having only secured a point from their first two games, this contest represents an opportunity for either to move closer to the leaders, provided they execute efficiently to snare all three points.
Grenades FC and Ouanaminthe FC currently sit fourth and fifth with a point each, as Dominican Republic’s Moca FC comfortably occupies pole position on seven points ahead of Cibao (four points) and Port of Spain (two points).
Fredelin Philistin, who scored in Ouanaminthe’s 1-3 loss to Moca last Wednesday, will be key to their chances of securing their first win on this occasion.
The same is true about Sean Tomlinson, who notched a late equaliser for Grenades FC against Port of Spain on last.
Anything but a win for either team will bury their chances of progressing any further in the tournament.
AC Port of Spain vs. Cibao FC
With two points from three games, AC Port of Spain will enter this, their final group stage fixture against Cibao FC, also knowing that anything but a win will see them falling short of the semi-final.
Still, a win at Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, doesn’t necessarily guarantee AC Port of Spain a semi-final spot, but it would provisionally push them into second above Cibao. From there, the Twin Island Republic’s representatives would then have to hope a result between Ouanaminthe and Cibao, on October 1 falls in their favour.
Shackiel Smek and John Paul Rochford will be the point men for AC Port of Spain.
Meanwhile, for Cibao FC, a win or a draw would not only extend their unbeaten run but also ensure they remain in a favourable position for a semi-final appearance.
Jean Lopez and Eddipo Rodriguez are expected to cause trouble for AC Port of Spain’s backline.
Real Hope FA vs. Arnett Gardens FC
Group A also remains in the balance, as Cavalier remain tops on six points ahead of Real Hope FA and Police FC on four points each. Mount Pleasant is also in striking distance on three points, while Arnett Gardens is without a point, but can turn their chances around with a win at the National Stadium on Wednesday.
Real Hope will enter the contest with their tails high having clipped Cavalier 2-1 last week, and knowing that another win would propel them to the top of the standing with one game still to come against Mount Pleasant on October 3.
The Haitian club will look to Rikanel Chery and Steeve Mondestin to lead their charge.
Despite their current situation, Arnett Gardens, the reigning Caribbean Shield champions, are no pushovers and head coach Xavier Gilbert will be hoping they can stamp their class in this contest to gradually revive their chances of progressing further.
Shai Smith, Warner Brown and others will be hoping to get some goals under their belts should goal-difference come into play, as the game will serve as Real Hope’s home fixture.
Miscellaneous Police FC vs. Mount Pleasant FA
Police FC will welcome the fact that their final group stage fixture will be at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva on Thursday. However, the fact that they will be up against a highly-motivated Mount Pleasant team doesn’t allow much room for comfort.
But having edged one Jamaican club in Arnett Gardens 2-1 last week, Police will be backing their quality to down another, which would keep them in contention for a semi-final berth while slightly a draw or a loss could spell trouble for their chances.
Ezekiel Kesar will be their point man in attack.
A win for Mount Pleasant would also keep them in the running for a semi-final berth with a game in hand, but unlike their previous games, they will need to be at their best and capitalise on their chances to stay alive.
Jashaun Anglin and Kimoni Bailey are just two players to look out for in a deep squad that possesses immense quality.
It was a successful return to Mount Pleasant FA for head coach Theodore ‘Tappa’ Whitmore as the St Ann-based club kept their Concacaf Caribbean Cup hopes alive with a 2-1 win over Arnett Gardens FC in a keenly contested encounter at Sabina Park on Tuesday.
Jashaun Anglin (33rd) and Kimoni Bailey (82nd) fired Mount Pleasant to three valuable points as they bounced back from an opening 0-2 defeat to reining Jamaica Premier League (JPL) champions Cavalier and, by extension, the dismissal of then coach Harold Thomas.
Shai Smith’s 54th-minute strike kept things interesting for CFU Club Shield winners Arnett Gardens, who will now have to pick up the pieces and come again.
With the win, Mount Pleasant jumped to second on three points, behind Cavalier, while Arnett Gardens sit bottom without a point.
For Whitmore, the result served as a statement of the quality that Mount Pleasant possesses both on and off the field.
“After coming off a loss, for us these three points mean a lot to the club, it means a lot to the players, and we just have to keep working and keep improving,” Whitmore said in a post-game conference.
“We didn’t want to find any excuses. We asked the boys one thing, and that was to give of their best, give 110 percent, and they went out and left it on the pitch. The aim is always to make a statement, and that’s what we did today (Tuesday),” he added.
After a tentative start, both teams gradually got into their stride, but it was Mount Pleasant that grabbed the ascendancy when Anglin expertly headed home from Daniel Green’s weighted cross.
Mount Pleasant rode the momentum in their probe to extend the lead, which they almost did on two occasions in the latter stages of the first half, but for Asher Hutchinson in goal for Arnett Gardens.
Hutchinson first came up big to deny Jean Ferreira’s close range effort in the 44th, and then Shaqueil Bradford in the 45+2 to ensure his team remained in the contest at the break.
Moca FC in action against AC Port of Spain.
Arnett Gardens showed more attacking fight on the resumption and pulled level nine minutes in when the lanky Smith rose above defenders to head home Kimani Arbouine’s cross.
Now pumped, the ‘Junglists’ pushed for the go-ahead goal, which they would have had in the 58th if Fabian Reid’s effort dipped below the crossbar.
Mount Pleasant also rued their luck for a minute as Nicholas Nelson’s 76th-minute shot at the other end also came off the crossbar.
However, their disappointment turned to celebrations six minutes later when Bailey displayed nippy footwork to dismiss defenders in a dazzling solo effort, which he ended with a tidy finish beyond the hapless Hutchinson to seal Mount Pleasant’s win.
Whitmore’s side will next visit Trinidad and Tobago’s Miscellaneous Police FC in Couva, on September 26, while Xavier Gilbert and his Arnett Gardens team will hope for better fortunes also against Police FC, whom they will visit on September 19.
“It is just unfortunate we are on the losing end, but it is just the first game. We are still in it. It might set us back in terms of points on the board, and we are probably at the bottom of the table. But we are going to give it a shot. We have multiple games,” Gilbert noted.
Meanwhile, in Group B action, Dominican Republic’s Moca FC produced a decent second-half display to edge Trinidad and Tobago’s AC Port of Spain 3-2 at Estadio Moca 85.
John Paul Rochford’s brace (41st and 49th) for AC Port of Spain proved in vain as Alan Aciar (51st), Gustavo Ascona (62nd), and Clifford Thomas (90+1) brought Moca FC from behind to secure all three points.
The win pushed Moca FC to the top of the standings on four points, while AC Port of Spain remained on one point.
Moca will seek to extend their unbeaten run when they host Ouanaminthe FC on September 18, while AC Port of Spain’s next challenge will come against Grenades FC on September 17 in Couva.
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