Weatherly warns against complacency after Falmouth take first-leg lead

DESPITE taking a 1-0, first-leg, semi-final lead over Spanish Town Police at the Trelawny Multipurpose Stadium on Saturday, Falmouth United Coach Dr Dean Weatherly knows the job is not done in their bid to qualify for next season’s Jamaica Premier League.

A first-half goal from Tyshan Hill saw Falmouth United snap Spanish Town Police’s nine-game unbeaten run in the Jamaica Football Championship.

The return match is slated to be played next Saturday.

The winners of the semi-finals on aggregate will advance to the final and also qualify for next season’s premier league.

Weatherly, who has guided Falmouth United though their four-year stint in the competition, said they cannot get complacent with their slim lead.

“I don’t consider this lead safe, especially considering that we have to go to their home ground [for the return game], so there are no comfort zones anywhere.”

In preparation for the return contest the veteran coach told the Jamaica Observer his players will have to do better in front of goal.

“We need to work on finishing as we created a lot of chances but could not finish — and we can’t tolerate that. We have to go into the next game with an attitude that we have to finish these chances we are creating,” Weatherly stressed.

Playing in front of arguably their best home crowd all season, Falmouth United settled early and dominated the first half on Saturday, despite having their crossbar rattled in the 20th minute.

Falmouth should have taken the lead on at least three occasions early in the encounter.

The first major chance came when Ahmal Hudson lured goalkeeper John-Michael Edwards out of his 18-yard box but saw his shot blocked off the line. Kamali Powell hit the base of the left upright from about 20 yards out, before Mark Lewis failed to get to a cross in the six-yard box with the defence caught off guard.

Hill, however, grabbed the lead when his shot from the edge of the 18-yard box found its way past Edwards’ left hand and inside the post in the 28th minute.

Spanish Town Police had not lost since February 15 when they were beaten twice in a row, and had scored 21 of their 27 goals in their last nine games. They forced Falmouth back into their own half for long periods in the second half but failed to find the equaliser.

Weatherly said his team lacked fluency at times.

“[It was] a little scrappy in terms of our decision-making but the players gave a good account of themselves with some stout defending, and our transition game was looking up.

William Spencer, coach of the Spanish Town Police team, said they are still in the race for a place in the final.

“We are not out of this as yet — we just have to come and win that game at home.”

“[We] started slowly but we got into the game and we dominated the second half, and we just need to win next week.”

Elsewhere, Treasure Beach FC, playing with 10 men from the first half, held Meadforest FC to a 0-0 result heading into the return leg.

Treasure Beach FC’s Romario Smith was sent off in the first half of the game at Constant Spring field but the St Elizabeth-based team held on for the draw.

— Paul A Reid