MAY PEN, Clarendon — Humble Lion, football standard bearers for this south-central parish, will continue their hunt for the Red Stripe Premier League title when they host Arnett Gardens in the second leg of their semi-final tie at the Effortville Community Centre tonight.

Game time is 8:30 pm.

The winner of this game, tied 1-1 from the first leg, will meet the winner of the Montego Bay United-Waterhouse FC clash in the final.

For Humble Lion, advancing to the final would be a remarkable feat, considering where their journey to the play-offs began.

At the end of the first round, Humble Lion were confined to drop zone with all indications pointing to a definite relegation scrap. It eventually took a change of coach in December, with Donovan Duckie replacing Craig Butler, to inspire an upturn in form for the central Clarendon side.

And with a top four finish now secured, Humble Lion have set their sights on the ultimate prize — a feat that has not been achieved by a ‘bonafide’ Clarendon team in 22 years.

Hazard United was that team, winning the National Premier League in the 1992/93 season.

But the last time the parish actually celebrated the title was 2003 when Hazard, playing their home games in the neighbouring St Catherine, dethroned Arnett Gardens at the National Stadium. A few weeks after that celebration, Hazard officially severed ties with the Clarendon FA by rebranding itself as Portmore United, now an affiliate of the St Catherine FA.

Almost 12 years since that bitter sweet occasion, Humble Lion, after just six years in the top flight, are now hoping to remind the parish what it feels like to win the title.

But to claim a spot in the final, they must first get past title favourites Arnett Gardens — a team that they have not lost to since Duckie took charge in December, winning one and drawing two of their last three meetings with the ‘Junglists’.

Two of those games, including the 2-1 victory, were played at Effortville, which might explain the optimism around the Humble Lion camp heading into Monday night’s showdown.