WITH August Town FC already given the boot ahead of next season’s competition and the four semi-finalists confirmed, several teams will be desperately scampering to avoid the second and final relegation place in the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL).

All games in today’s mid-week penultimate round are slated to begin at 3:30 pm to uphold the integrity of the league.

One of those teams in danger, the former national winners Portmore United, will have it all to do when they oppose the recently-crowned preliminary round champions Waterhouse FC at the Ferdie Neita Park in St Catherine.

Portmore United, the national champions in the 2011-12 season, have suffered this campaign, floundering in 11th place in the 12-team standings on 33 points from 31 matches.

The former local giants have lost four of their last six outings, including a 1-2 defeat to Rivoli United on the weekend.

Waterhouse (59 points), who along with Harbour View FC, Montego Bay United, and Arnett Gardens FC are into the semis, have been virtually unstoppable since comfortably advancing in the Caribbean Football Union Club Championships a few weeks ago, racking up three wins and two draws in their last five matches.

Given their current form and the expected desire to enter the semis in a similar frame of mind, one would not predict them letting up against Portmore United.

In another battle of teams under relegation threat, 10th-placed Boys’ Town FC (34 points), a credible league contender in recent seasons, welcome ninth-placed Humble Lion FC (37 points) at the Collie Smith Complex.

Both Boys’ Town and early pacesetters Humble Lion have failed to string together a consistent run of positive results throughout this campaign.

At the Juici Patties Park in Clarendon, the hosts Sporting Central Academy clash with Rivoli United.

Sporting Central are eighth on 38 points and a win today would confirm their safety.

Only recently, Rivoli United were locked in a tense battle to avoid demotion, but an unbeaten streak in the third round, highlighted by four wins in their last six games, has pushed them into fifth place on 41 points, while sealing their safety.

At the Edward Seaga Sports Complex, Tivoli Gardens FC and visitors Cavalier SC will meet in an expected feisty encounter. Both teams are locked on 39 points, but Tivoli Gardens have the edge in sixth place due to a superior goal difference. Cavalier are in seventh.

In a game which will help decide which team finishes closest to Waterhouse, second-placed Harbour View FC (52 points), the RSPL title-holders, entertain third-placed Montego Bay United (51) at the Compound.

At the University of the West Indies Mona Bowl, the August Town FC team (27 points), faced with life in the lower division after a single season in the top flight, hosts fourth-placed Arnett Gardens (49). The Arnett outfit has been in spanking form of late, plundering four wins from five outings.