Football: Zebras & Hornets In Crucial Clash
[Written by Patrick Bean]
A clash is set for tonight as reigning league champions PHC take on the struggling Dandy Town Hornets in a make-up match with crucial implications at both ends of the Premier Division tables.
A win for PHC would place them two points ahead at the top of the standings heading into the Christmas – halfway – period, while Dandy Town at the ninth spot of 10 would want to not be further condemned in the lower reaches. Town can move all the way to the fourth spot with a win; they’d be able to tie BAA on 10 points but would have a superior goal difference and average.
A draw still gives PHC the points lead, while the same result would yet have the Hornets dangling deep in the relegation zone, with only Somerset, who are now simply playing out the string as building blocks for the future exercise.
Speaking after Sunday’s Friendship trophy contest against Paget, whom they easily defeated 4-0, Zebras’ coach Scott Morton was taking little for granted in terms of forecasting any return to the top spot against ensuring his squad was properly tended to and mentally tuned for tonight’s match that features two teams with a very competitive edge toward each other.
“The future is never guaranteed for you, so we’re not saving anything for the next game, so it’s today that we have – tomorrow we may not have anything,” said Morton, also on the Bermuda national coaching team as an assistant to head coach Kyle Lightbourne.
“For us again, if that future takes place then we’re in a good spot to accept what’s coming and be able to accomplish it and going forward have something to reflect and build on towards even greater accomplishment.
“It’s for me to get the players ready for that match and prepare them again mentally, take care of any knocks and we’ll take Dandy Town as they come.”
Dandy Town have dreams of accomplishment as well and as a win would place them at the top of the pack of teams trying to reach the top versus a club seeking to escape the drop; they would seem to have great incentive to compete well.
There have been problems of injury unavailability, depth and general lack of cohesion in all phases and capable coach Devarr Boyles has the unenviable task of getting them ship shape and in connectedness in face of a side with CeCoy Robinson in grand form and clicking with attack partners Wendell [Tre] Ming, Kenny Mathie, and Jaheim Iris.
