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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>East, West collide for second round trophy</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>BY KAYON RAYNOR Observer staff reporter raynork@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, March 04, 2007
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<P class=StoryText align=justify>The second piece of silverware in the 2006-07 Wray & Nephew National Premier League (NPL) will be handed out today, after the 'Stars of the East', Harbour View FC, oppose the 'Best of the West', Reno FC in the second end-of-round final at St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) in Santa Cruz at 3:00 pm.<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=120 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>DOWNSWELL. the fact that we have come this far and playing at STETHS means that we'll have good crowd support as we look to put the icing on the cake </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>Reno are going in search of their first trophy in the nation's top flight since the 1994-95 season, when they defeated Constant Spring 3-1 on aggregate to lift the then National League title, while the 'Stars of the east' are hunting their third trophy this season following the first round final and the Jackie Bell KO crown.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Reno - with a full strength squad - are feeling confident heading into today's trophy decider, having beaten Harbour View 2-1 in their last NPL encounter (Round 14) at STETHS on December 10, after earning a 0-0 draw at Harbour View (round three) on September 24.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"Our intention is to go all the way... the fact that we have come this far and playing at STETHS means that we'll have good crowd support as we look to put the icing on the cake," Reno's coach Wendell Downswell told the Sunday Observer on Friday, noting that he expects a tough match from the visitors.
Having beaten Waterhouse 1-0 through a 72nd minute Fabian Taylor strike on November 22 in the National Stadium to secure the first round trophy and the $165, 000 bounty, the Lenworth Hyde-coached Harbour View will be hoping to do the same against the Westmoreland-based Reno side.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"We will be going out there with a positive attitude and play a possession game," he told the Sunday Observer. "We can't afford to give up the ball, we have to keep possession of the ball and take our chances because we have been creating a lot of chances in our games," added Hyde, noting that he will be without influential midfielders Donald Stewart and Richard Edwards, as well as striker Kavin Bryan.
Both teams had identical records in the second round of the competition, racking up eight wins, two draws and one loss for 26 points apiece, from their 11 outings.<P class=StoryText align=justify>However, Reno had the better goal difference (12), having conceded only six times, while scoring 18, as against Harbour View's 11. They scored 20 and gave up nine goals. This is something Downswell will be counting on to end their 12-year drought with a trophy in the NPL.
"We have to look at it (statistics) in two respects," he said. "If you look at them (Harbour View) in the last four games, they've done well defensively, which means that they have done some work as it relates to that, so we just have to continue to defend stoutly and put away our chances," the national assistant Under-23 coach noted.<P class=StoryText align=justify>He added: "We have had some positive results against them. I imagine that it (today's clash) will be a grudge match for them... So we are therefore looking forward to the challenge."
Riding on the wave of Wednesday's 1-0 success over Boys' Town in the KSAFA Jackie Bell Knock-Out at the National Stadium in Kingston,
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>BY KAYON RAYNOR Observer staff reporter raynork@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, March 04, 2007
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>The second piece of silverware in the 2006-07 Wray & Nephew National Premier League (NPL) will be handed out today, after the 'Stars of the East', Harbour View FC, oppose the 'Best of the West', Reno FC in the second end-of-round final at St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) in Santa Cruz at 3:00 pm.<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=120 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>DOWNSWELL. the fact that we have come this far and playing at STETHS means that we'll have good crowd support as we look to put the icing on the cake </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>Reno are going in search of their first trophy in the nation's top flight since the 1994-95 season, when they defeated Constant Spring 3-1 on aggregate to lift the then National League title, while the 'Stars of the east' are hunting their third trophy this season following the first round final and the Jackie Bell KO crown.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Reno - with a full strength squad - are feeling confident heading into today's trophy decider, having beaten Harbour View 2-1 in their last NPL encounter (Round 14) at STETHS on December 10, after earning a 0-0 draw at Harbour View (round three) on September 24.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"Our intention is to go all the way... the fact that we have come this far and playing at STETHS means that we'll have good crowd support as we look to put the icing on the cake," Reno's coach Wendell Downswell told the Sunday Observer on Friday, noting that he expects a tough match from the visitors.Having beaten Waterhouse 1-0 through a 72nd minute Fabian Taylor strike on November 22 in the National Stadium to secure the first round trophy and the $165, 000 bounty, the Lenworth Hyde-coached Harbour View will be hoping to do the same against the Westmoreland-based Reno side.<P class=StoryText align=justify>"We will be going out there with a positive attitude and play a possession game," he told the Sunday Observer. "We can't afford to give up the ball, we have to keep possession of the ball and take our chances because we have been creating a lot of chances in our games," added Hyde, noting that he will be without influential midfielders Donald Stewart and Richard Edwards, as well as striker Kavin Bryan.
Both teams had identical records in the second round of the competition, racking up eight wins, two draws and one loss for 26 points apiece, from their 11 outings.<P class=StoryText align=justify>However, Reno had the better goal difference (12), having conceded only six times, while scoring 18, as against Harbour View's 11. They scored 20 and gave up nine goals. This is something Downswell will be counting on to end their 12-year drought with a trophy in the NPL.
"We have to look at it (statistics) in two respects," he said. "If you look at them (Harbour View) in the last four games, they've done well defensively, which means that they have done some work as it relates to that, so we just have to continue to defend stoutly and put away our chances," the national assistant Under-23 coach noted.<P class=StoryText align=justify>He added: "We have had some positive results against them. I imagine that it (today's clash) will be a grudge match for them... So we are therefore looking forward to the challenge."
Riding on the wave of Wednesday's 1-0 success over Boys' Town in the KSAFA Jackie Bell Knock-Out at the National Stadium in Kingston,