Three teams left in escape dogfight

With Spanish Town Police’s relegation from the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) confirmed over the weekend, Molynes United, Treasure Beach, and Harbour View’s fates still remain up in the air.

Spanish Town stood with an outside chance of survival coming into last weekend’s fixtures, but they needed to win all of their remaining games to pull off an unlikely escape.

However, their hopes were quickly dashed when they went down with a whimper in a 6-2 drubbing at the hands of Chapelton Maroons.

Spanish Town, who were playing their first-ever season in the top-flight, can now only end the season with a maximum 32 points, which confirms that they will finish at the foot of the table regardless of their remaining results.

It has been an abysmal season for the JPL debutants, who have now conceded 101 goals in 37 games, inclusive of a 10-2 defeat to Arnett Gardens and a 9-0 loss to Molynes United.

For the remaining three teams, it will be a bitter fight for survvival as only three points separate them.

Molynes are the closest to survival as they sit 10th with 39 points, two ahead of Treasure Beach, 37, and three ahead of Harbour View on 36.

IN THEIR HANDS

Molynes’ fate rests firmly in their own hands as their remaining two games will have them face Harbour View and Treasure Beach in decisive fixtures.

A win against Harbour View in their next game would confirm their spot in the JPL next season.

The Jermaine Thomas-led club has been on a hot streak with four wins in a row against Spanish Town, Arnett Gardens, Racing United, and Tivoli Gardens.

Nicholas Nelson has been the leading man for Molynes since his return to the club in January, scoring 13 goals in 17 appearances.

Treasure Beach have also kept their survival hopes alive with a close 1-0 win over Dunbeholden on Sunday, and with a game in hand, they can confirm their survival with six points from their remaining three games.

They will face Tivoli tomorrow in a rescheduled midweek fixture at St Elizabeth Technical High School before taking on league leaders Montego Bay United and ending their season against Molynes.

They are hoping to survive the drop this time around, having been relelgated in their debut campaign during the 2023-24 season.

It will be do-or-die for Harbour View as they sit within the relegation zone and could be the first previous champions to be relegated since Reno’s and Montego Bay United’s falls from grace in 2019.

Harbour View picked up valubale points in their last outing, edging Montego Bay 4-3 in a seven-goal thriller at home.

They will need to continue this form if they stand a chance at survival and could move one step closer with a win over Molynes in their next game.

The Stars of the East will once again look to the league’s leading goalscorer Trayvone Reid to play a pivotal role with his tally of 20 goals in 33 games this season.

gregory.bryce@gleanerjm.com