WATERHOUSE are hunting their second piece of silverware in eight days and intend to strike early against defending champions Harbour View in tomorrow's Jackie Bell Knockout final, which starts 5:00 p.m. at Compound.
"It's a one-off match and we're looking to score early," said Waterhouse coach, Wayne Fairclough, whose team lifted the Cash Plus Premier League second-round final with a 1-0 win over Tivoli Gardens last Sunday.
"There won't be a return game and we want to put it away from the first half. We've been scoring, our last four to five games, in the second-half," Fairclough noted, no doubt referring to Wednesday's semi-final when his team had to wait until the 90th minute for a 1-0 victory over Arnett Gardens.
"We've been creating the opportunities but not scoring in the first half. If we put them away, we can win the game from early," the Waterhouse coach added.
tough match-up
It will be another tough match-up for both teams, considering how their Premier League clashes have gone this season.
Harbour View scored a remarkable come-from-behind 3-2 win at home in the first round, rallying from two goals down to beat eventual nine-man Waterhouse at Compound.
The Corporate Area and Premier League champions led in the return game at Drewsland but Waterhouse got their equaliser from Jonathan Williams for a 1-1 draw.
Harbour View coach Lenny Hyde yesterday said he expects the usual rough stuff from the no-frills Waterhouse but was confident his side would be able to defend their title.
"I always anticipate a tough game from Waterhouse but we always have a good game against them.
"We beat them 3-2 at home and gave up the lead in the second match. I am pretty confident we can go out and get a good result. It's a final and we're going guns out to win this one.
"They play hard and aggressive but we just have to keep possession of the football. We have to dictate the pace and possession," Hyde added.
Harbour View advanced from the semi-finals with a 2-0 stroll over Super League side Duhaney Park off goals from Clifton Waugh, a sixth minute penalty, and a strike in the 65th from Kemar Petrekin.
Striker Fabian Taylor remains on Harbour View's injury list but Hyde has loads of faith in the speedy Kavin Bryan and Petrekin, who both scored in their 3-2 quarter-final win over Boys' Town.
vulnerable formation
Waterhouse have been playing a vulnerable 3-5-2 formation under Fairclough, void of dedicated wing-backs as English and Jonathan Williams, the flank players, have been thrust high in attack to support their strikers.
Harbour View could exploit the wings especially with pin-point passes out of midfield from Jermaine Hue to the likes of Lovel Palmer streaking in on the right side.
Hyde is wary of English on the left side of Waterhouse's midfield.
"Our defence had to be disciplined," he said. "They play a lot of long balls and our goalkeeper will have to have the back post covered. The dead ball, especially, English kicks a lot of those," he pointed out.
Waterhouse's perennial scorer, Kevin Lamey, who has been on the injury list in recent games, could see action.
"Lamey has a slight injury and has been training," said Fairclough. "We didn't want to risk him because there is a third and crucial round to be played in the Premier League but there is a possibility he could play tomorrow."
eight days
file photos - Waterhouse's Jonathan Williams
by Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer
tough match-up
vulnerable formation