Waterhouse look ahead of deducted points

by

May 01, 2023

Photo

Portmore United’s Alex Marshall (left) battles with Waterhouse’s Keithy Simpson during their Jamaica Premier League (JPL) football match at the Ferdie Neita Park yesterday. The match drew 1-1.

Waterhouse's assistant coach, Damion Gordon, maintains that mentally they remain unaffected by the three points lost in the board room for the use of an ineligible player in their Jamaica Premier League (JPL) game against Cavalier last weekend.

Needing to win against Portmore yesterday to stay in pole position for a playoff spot, the Drewsland-based Waterhouse ended 1-1 with fellow playoff contenders Portmore United at the Ferdie Neita Park.

They have 38 points and have dropped to seventh in the standing on goal difference behind Dunbeholden, who defeated Chapelton Maroons 7-1.

"That is a matter (points deduction) that I cannot discuss, but irrespective of the points tally and what happened in the boardroom, we still have a game to play.

"Mentally, we are not bad. It was a decision taken in the board room, and as I said, we still have a game to play. That is a home game for us. We will approach that game with confidence, and we just have to deliver," Gordon stated.

Waterhouse were penalised for using Shaquille Bradford, who should have missed the game against Cavalier on yellow card accumulation.

Cavalier were also found guilty of the same offence after they used Christopher Ainsworth.

The situation puts Waterhouse in a precarious position, but Gordon said the point away from home yesterday was still good.

"Not the result we were hoping for, but we are away from home, so we have to give thanks for a point.

"We could have gotten the victory but, this is football you have to give and take. We have one game to go, and the players have to step up," he said.

Waterhouse broke the deadlock in an intriguing contest when Emelio Rousseau put the ball in his own net from a corner in the 32nd minute.

However, Portmore drew level nine minutes after the restart when Alex Marshall fired past Kemar Foster from 12 yards.

Waterhouse went down a man in time added when Elvis Wilson was given a straight red card for a challenge on Marshall.

Yesterday's results mean Portmore, on 37 points, slipped to eighth, a point behind Dunbeholden and Waterhouse and coach Philip Williams were frustrated that they could not drive home their superiority on the day.

"Based on the points table, it (result) is a setback for us. We were looking for three points, playing at home and in terms of the amount of possession and chances we had in the second half, we did enough to have won all three points," Williams said.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com