LEADERS Harbour View enter their crucial top-of-the-table clash against their latest title challenger Waterhouse, without top defender Montrose Phinn who has been drafted in the Reggae Boyz squad to replace the injured Nyron Nosworthy.

Phinn, left early Saturday morning en route to Costa Rica and while there is adequate replacement for Phinn in the form of national defender Dicoy Williams, Harbour View will struggle to replace the talented playmaker Jermaine Hue, also on national duties.

The Stars of the East are out front on 61 points while Waterhouse have surged into second spot, 11 points behind with 50 and with seven matches remaining after today’s encounter, if they can beat Harbour View and reduce that lead to eight points, things could get rather interesting.

On the other hand, if Harbour View win and establish a 14-point gap, the league is as good as over. Head coach Vin Blaine is cognisant of that fact.

“It’s not absolutely important that we do it, but getting a lead of 14 points with seven games left would almost put a seal on it. So it is important to go out and play hard tomorrow (today),” Blaine told the Jamaica Observer.

“The game against Waterhouse is definitely an important one. We are 11 points ahead and we want to justify our lead by getting into the fourth round with as many points as possible. Waterhouse is always a challenge to Harbour View and they are playing at home and will come out very hard and physical and we expect that,” he noted.

Today’s match-up should be intriguing for more than one reason with several important match-ups all over the park. But one that could really decide the game is how the meanest defence in the league copes with the league’s top marksman.

Harbour View, regularly marshalled by Phinn and the calm Christopher Harvey all season, will have to contain the robust and deadly Jermaine ‘Tuffy’ Anderson.

“We don’t pinpoint any one person. It is our overall team defending that is important. I know how Tuffy plays, we have played against him twice and he has not scored against us. I know his style and I know what his weaknesses are, so we are going to play the way we normally play,” Blaine explained.

In two Premier League meetings this season, Harbour View are unbeaten against Waterhouse, winning their first encounter 1-0 before drawing the second 0-0.

In 2005/06 season, Waterhouse overturned a 13-point deficit and caught Harbour View and that splendid performance is still in their minds and the Drewsland based outfit is expected to make another run at them but it must start with a win today.

Meanwhile, defending champion Portmore United in third spot with 48 points, still believe they can win the title, and if they can get it right, it could be an intriguing three-way fight to the end. But first they must beat 10th-placed Humble Lion on 33 points to keep their slim chances alive.

Fourth-placed Boys’ Town on 48 points take on the improving Highgate United in 11th spot on 31 points and looking to climb out of the relegation zone with their third consecutive win.

Fifth-placed Arnett Gardens on 45 points should have an easy task against a Savannah team rooted to the bottom of the league on 18 points.

Westmoreland-based Savannah have lost 20 of their 30 games in their first season of Premier League football and Super League football awaits them.

Another team in relegation fight is ninth-placed Sporting Central Academy on 36 points and they host seventh-placed Montego Bay United on 41 points in a crucial encounter at Brancourt.TODAY’S GAMES

3:30 pm Boys’ Town vs Highgate United at Collie Smith Complex

3:30 pm Sporting Central Academy vs Montego Bay United

6:00 pm Arnett Gardens vs Savannah @ Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex

6:00 pm Waterhouse vs Harbour View @ Drewsland

7:00 pm Portmore United vs Humble Lion @ Ferdie Neita Park.