As the Magnum/Charley’s JB Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Premier League Play-off enters the final stages, leaders Dunbeholden are now in survival mode, while Mount Pleasant FC are keen on playing catch-up with qualification to the upcoming season of the Premier League on the line.

Dunbeholden currently head the standings on eight points, same as Barbican FC, but with a slightly better goal difference, as Mount Pleasant keep a close watch in third on five points. St James’ Wadadah are eliminated at the foot of the four-team table without a point.

So, with two rounds of games to play and only two spots available in the nation’s topflight league, the battle for points should now intensify, as the teams will be aware that the next result at this stage of the competition could either make their dreams come through or break their hearts.

Dunbeholden are riding high despite their latest result being a goalless stalemate away to Mount Pleasant at Drax Hall on Sunday, but according to Head Coach Michael Cohen, the St Catherine-based team has no intention of sitting on its laurels.

Coming off a 4-0 win over St James’ Wadadah, Dunbeholden made the trek to St Ann on Sunday confident of putting one foot into the Premier League, especially after edging Mount Pleasant 2-1 in their first-round meeting.

However, they were made to wait as they failed to put away a number of chances and as such allowed Mount Pleasant a lifeline to fight another day.

“We came out with a game plan and the guys stuck to it and we got a point. Don’t lose, that was the plan and as long as we don’t lose, then we are on our way going to the Premier League,” Cohen told journalists in a post-match interview.

“At home they (Mount Pleasant) came with two forwards; today (Sunday) they came with three, so we just told the defenders to stay home because, like I said, we just didn’t want to lose, so I am happy with the point,” he added.

A top-of-the-table clash with the dangerous Barbican FC will be their next assignment and after holding the KSAFA champions to a goalless scoreline in their first-round meeting, Cohen is eyeing a similar or even better result when they welcome the former Premier League outfit.

“I am sure we can make the Premier League; as long as we don’t lose we are going to the Premier League and that is going to be our plan going into each game, just don’t lose. If we get a point we will take it and if the victory comes, then that will be a bonus,” Cohen noted.

Meanwhile, Mount Pleasant, as they did against Barbican recently, came to life in the latter stages of the lukewarm game, but, failed to capitalise when it mattered most.

Though disappointed with that aspect of the outcome, Head Coach Paul “Tegat” Davis also welcomed the point.

“I think we should have finished the game easily, we had some easy chances; at least two goals should have come for us in the first half but we missed them and we allowed the Dunbeholden team in the game.

“But that didn’t deter us from winning the game. We still had opportunities to win the game at the end and we failed to take those chances. But we will take the point,” Davis reasoned.

The St Ann team could apply more pressure to the leaders if they are able to take three points and some goals off the hapless Wadadah at Jarrett Park in St James on Sunday.

Should they accomplish that feat and the top-of-the-table clash go either way, then it would make things interesting going into the final round of games on July 1.

“We have two more games to go and if we win those, then we get six points and those six points can carry us through, because Barbican is one of those teams. So if we can take three points from them and Wadadah, then we have a chance.

“So it is not over yet, we failed in the game today, so we have to look to the game on Sunday and take it from there,” Davis said.