Last season’s semi-finalist Humble Lion are stumbling, winning just once in their last seven games and are barely hanging on to the last play-off spot as the crucial third round of the Red Stripe Premier League begins.

The Vassell Reynolds-coached aggregation from Clarendon are fourth on 32 points and face a tough encounter in leaders Portmore United at Effortville Community Centre.

With the top three teams, Portmore United (43), Arnett Gardens (42) and Montego Bay United (41) all but secured in their play-off spots, Humble Lion are being chased relentlessly for the last semi-final berth, holding just a two-point advantage over Harbour View and the University of the West Indies, both on 30 points.

“We don’t have control on the teams behind us, we are just focusing on putting points on the board,” said Reynolds.

“Evidently this third round is the crucial round and one thing that we are aware of is that we have to lift our performance and we have to start scoring goals,” he noted.

Humble Lion have scored just 18 goals from 22 games, the lowest in the league along with Cavalier SC and have conceded 17 times which is the third-best defence.

“At the same time we are one of the better defensive teams in the competition, but in the last couple of games we have been conceding a number of goals and that has also become a concern. So it’s about improving the performance really,” said Reynolds.

“It has been a concern but it’s about preparation and we have put a lot into it and we saw some signs against Boys’ Town when we got three goals, the most goals in a game since the competition started,” he noted.

Humble Lion cannot afford to slip up any further and they have a difficult home game against a well-organised Portmore United team.

“Evidently they are the best team in the league at present based on results. They hardly play a bad game, but hopefully they will give us a bad game. They know what they are all about in defence and offence,” Reynolds pointed out.

Meanwhile, Portmore United’s manager Clive Marshall wants his team to remain focused amidst growing speculation that his promoted team is a serious title contender.

“One of the things we talk about is to stay focused, forget about derbies, go and play proper football,” said Marshall.

In two games, Humble Lion are yet to taste victory against Portmore United, drawing once and losing the other and Marshall expects a hard-fought encounter.

“They will be hard running and I am expecting them to try to avenge the loss. It will be tough playing against Humble Lion down there,” he said.