THE enticing encounter between reigning champions Arnett Gardens FC and last season’s losing finalists Montego Bay United is sure to set the pulses racing in today’s schedule of matches in the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL).

The teams are set to clash at Arnett’s base at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex starting at 6:00 pm.

It is a showdown between the Western Confederation’s finest and the best that the Kingston & St Andrew Football Association has to offer. At least, that is what recent form suggests.

In last season’s final, Arnett Gardens, the outstanding team during that campaign, capped things off with a 2-0 win over Montego Bay.

A 2-2 result in their first match this season at Montego Bay in November piles further interest on an already highly anticipated clash.

Just past the halfway stage of this season, only two points split the league leaders Montego Bay United, who have 37 points from 19 matches, and third-placed Arnett Gardens.

Montego Bay, winners of three of their last five games, have lost only twice all season. Their 31 goals makes them the highest scoring team in the RSPL, while 11 conceded at the other end gives them the best defensive record. The wily attacker Dino Williams has led the way with 14 goals.

In form Arnett Gardens, who have won four games on the trot, have scored 29 goals, while letting in 16. They have already lost six games, but forward Kemal Malcolm’s 10 goals have contributed to them having a joint league-high 11 victories.

Though the outcome of today’s game is not likely to have a direct bearing on which team lifts the 2015-16 RSPL title, it could very well shape what is to come for the rest of the season.

Another intriguing contest sees Cavalier SC visiting Effortville Community Centre in Clarendon to face Humble Lion FC in a 3:00 pm start.

The quest for points is very much at the forefront of both teams’ minds. Humble Lion are fourth with 29 points, while Cavalier are ninth with 21 points. Both have struggled to score goals this season, but Toni Cowan, the Cavalier assistant coach, is encouraged after last weekend’s 3-0 spanking of Boys’ Town FC.

“We’re pretty confident going into this one because we’ve started to score goals. We’ve acquired some new strikers and putting the ball into the back of the net has been our major problem. In my estimation it has been one of the only problems we’ve had this season because we’ve been playing good football,” she said during an interview at Thursday’s RSPL press conference.

Cowan said some favourable results on recent visits to Effortville is also a reason to be confident.

“Generally, when we go down to Effortville we produce a very good game, so we are hoping to carry that down there again,” said the Cavalier assistant coach.

Humble Lion Technical Director Vassel Reynolds is predicting a “tough” clash, despite his team being eight points clear of Cavalier.

“It’s a tough one… bearing in mind that both teams have been trying to find their goalscoring boots. You would imagine that the Cavalier team has gained much confidence from scoring three goals in their last game.

“We’re looking to up the tempo in terms of our performance, in terms of making use of any goalscoring opportunity and to move up the table,” Reynolds said.

Also at 3:00 pm, sixth-placed Boys’ Town FC (25 points), playing at their adopted home at Barbican Sports Complex in St Andrew, take on last-placed Waterhouse FC (15 points). Waterhouse have brought in former Reggae Boy defender Shavar Thomas to assist the Head Coach Paul Young. In the meantime, veteran goal poacher Kevin Lamey, who has been acting as Young’s assistant, has registered as a Waterhouse player. The move is said to be one to help Waterhouse’s goalscoring woes.

At Frome Sports Complex in Westmoreland, seventh-placed FC Reno (23 points) welcome University of the West Indies (UWI) FC in a game scheduled to begin at 3:00 in the afternoon. The eighth-placed UWI team also has 23 points, but trail due to an inferior goal difference.

At Edward Seaga Sports Complex in West Kingston, 10th-placed Tivoli Gardens FC (19 points) entertain 11-placed Rivoli United (18 points) in a 3:00 pm kick-off.

In tomorrow’s live televised RSPL fixture, Harbour View, in fifth with 26 points, host second-placed Portmore United (37 points) at Harbour View Stadium. The game is set for an 8:40 pm start.

3:00 pm — Humble Lion vs Cavalier @ Effortville Centre3:00 pm — Reno vs UWI FC @ Frome Complex3:00 pm — Tivoli Gardens vs Rivoli @ Edward Seaga Complex6:00 pm — Arnett Gardens vs Montego Bay @ Anthony Spaulding Complex8:40 pm — Harbour View vs Portmore @ Harbour View Stadium

RSPL games today

3:00 pm — Boys’ Town vs Waterhouse @ Barbican Complex

3:00 pm — Humble Lion vs Cavalier @ Effortville Centre

3:00 pm — Reno vs UWI FC @ Frome Complex

3:00 pm — Tivoli Gardens vs Rivoli @ Edward Seaga Complex

6:00 pm — Arnett Gardens vs Montego Bay @ Anthony Spaulding Complex

RSPL game tomorrow

8:40 pm — Harbour View vs Portmore @ Harbour View Stadium