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August
Town and Humble Lions opened the Jamaica Football Federation
(JFF) National Premier League Playoffs with wins to seize the
early initiative yesterday.
The
playoffs consist of the four Confederation winners and the top
two will be promoted to the premier league after the playing of
six games each.
Former
two time premier league champion Wadadah of St James are the
Western Confed winner; August Town are the winner of the
Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA); St Ann’s
Brazil are the Eastern Confederation winner and Humble Lions of
Clarendon are the South Central winner.
At the
UWI Bowl, August Town utilized the home advantage before
defeating Wadadah FC 2-0 to go top of the four-team playoff
group.
Top
midfielder Asphas Bernard in the 15th minute and
Ezekel Shaw in the 25th gave August Town a crucial
win over a team considered to be their main challenger for
promotion.
August
Town was relegated in the 2007/2008 season while Wadadah,
premier league winner in 1988 and 1992, was relegated in the
2006/07 season.
With
Reno of Westmoreland and Meadhaven United of KSAFA being
relegated this season, the onus is on a team from that
confederation to replace them.
August
Town has taken a significant step in replacing Meadhaven with
their 2-0 win to be top of the standing after one set of games.
They
have three points and a plus two goal difference while Wadadah
are at the bottom without a point and a minus two goal
difference.
At
Drax Hall in St Ann, home team Brazil was defeated 0-1 by Humble
Lions courtesy of a Tyrone Buddah strike in the 73rd
minute.
Humble
Lion will be hoping to join Sporting Central Academy as another
Clarendon team playing top flight football.
They
are second in the group with three points but with a goal
difference of plus one are behind August Town.
Brazil
are third based on their superior goal difference to Wadadah and
already has work to do to be the first St Ann team in the
premier league for 12 years.
The
playoffs continue on Sunday with Humble Lion hosting August Town
at York Town Community Centre in a top of the table clash and
Brazil travelling to Jarrett Park to play Wadadah at 4:00 pm.
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