DPL teams battle to avoid drop
HIGH-FLYING Harbour View travel to Rivoli United hoping to extend their lead, while champions Tivoli Gardens host Village United aiming to stay in touch in what has become a Digicel Premier League (DPL) two-team race.
In the other games: Sporting Central Academy play Portmore United; Boys’ Town meet St Georges; Waterhouse tackle Humble Lions and Arnett Gardens take on August Town.
Harbour View, on 57 points, have won six of their last seven games and should continue their dominance over ninth-placed Rivoli United, on 30.
The ‘Stars of the East’ have defeated the Spanish Town-based unit three times this season — two times in the DPL and only last Thursday, they knocked them out of the Flow Champions all-island tournament.
Coach Donovan Hayles has Harbour View playing simple yet effective football with a nice blend of young and experienced players who have rattled up 17 wins from 28 games.
But Rivoli, especially playing at home and with the ever-dangerous Devon Hodges back in action, cannot be taken lightly.
With Bradley Stewart resigning as head coach, new coach Oneil Thomas should have little problem motivating this team which have not won in their last three games.
Second-placed Tivoli Gardens, on 54 points, are expected to get the better of the improving Village United, in sixth spot on 33 points. Tivoli have won their last four games and have banged in eight goals in their last two matches.
Roland Dean is on fire, having netted four times in his last three games to be on eight, and along with Navion Boyd (10) and Keammar Daley (8), have formed the most potent strike force in the league.
But Trelawny-based Village United are also in good form, winning four of their last five games, and Tivoli could be in for a difficult game, even playing at home.
Third-placed Waterhouse, on 43 points, face a stern test in an intriguing encounter at Drewsland against a Humble Lions team up to seventh spot on 31 points.
Humble Lions are not playing like a promoted team and Waterhouse must be at their best if they are to see off this ambitious Clarendon outfit.
Coach Christopher Bender was spotted at Waterhouse’s Flow Champions Cup match against August Town and it will be interesting to see what he learnt from that game.
Humble Lions have strengthened well in the transfer window and striker Denzil Watson and the powerful Omando McCleod could be a handful for the Waterhouse defenders.
The faltering Boys’ Town, currently fifth with 39 points, tackle a St Georges team just above them on 41 and looking to regain that fourth spot.
Boys’ Town have lost four of the last five games and are out of the title race. However, they must regain their winning form or they could fall into a crowded mid-table.
But with this wretched form, Boys’ Town have lost their way and St Georges could take advantage and consolidate fourth spot.
Eight-placed August Town (31) and 11th-placed Arnett Gardens (30) meet in a crucial relegation encounter in which a win will go a far way for either team.
August Town have gotten the better of Arnett Gardens in their last two meetings. Arnett won their first match-up 4-1, but since then August Town returned the favour 4-2 after Arnett took a 2-0 lead, and recently, they knocked Arnett out for the Claro KSAFA Jackie Bell trophy.
But Arnett have found a new weapon in the towering Newton Sterling, who has netted in their last three games, propelling them to two wins over Rivoli and Portmore United and a battling draw with Waterhouse. If August Town are to win, they must contain Sterling.
In an even more intense relegation battle, cellar team Portmore United, on 27 points, play 10th-placed Sporting Central, on 30.
Both teams are really struggling and for Portmore, they are in unchartered waters and may not be sure how to deal with it.
While they have the talent, they are lacking in confidence and have set the stage for another interesting encounter with Sporting.
Today’s Schedule:
3:30 pm Sporting Central vs Portmore @ Brancourt
3:30 pm Boys’ Town vs St Georges @ Boys’ Town
4:00 pm Rivoli United vs Harbour View @ Prison Oval
5:00 pm Tivoli vs Village @ Seaga Complex
6:00 pm Waterhouse vs Humble Lions FC @ Drewsland
6:00 pm Arnett Gardens vs August Town @ Spaulding Complex