AS THEY are separated by only four points, leaders Portmore United and Tivoli Gardens, joint third on points but fourth by virtue of goal difference, will be laying it all on the table in today's big Digicel Premier League clash at Ferdie Neita Park at 4 p.m.
Both teams could not score in predictable draws in tough games last week against contenders holding positions among the front-runners.
While Portmore, who have won eight of their past 10 games, were somewhat content with their stalemate at home against traditional giants Waterhouse (whose form belies their quality), Tivoli was sucking their teeth, under the impression that they let second-place Harbour View, who played with 10 men for the last 24 minutes, off the hook.
With exactly half the 38-game schedule completed, there is some distance to travel in what is shaping up to be a real ding-dong battle as a mere four points divide the leading quartet.
Team talent
Winning, too, will not come easy, even though the teams are blessed with decent talent to force the maximum result.
Since his return from Trinidad and Tobago where he was playing semi-professionally, Roen Nelson, a year-to-year high scorer in the Premier League, has been piping hot, registering goal-a-game statistics.
Steve Morrissey and Carlington Smith have featured well in their 29-goal tally, the highest in the league, and they have many more established Premier League-level ballers who can turn a game, including Kevin Deerr, Wolry Wolfe, Ricardo Cousins and Anthony Bennett.
Tivoli's unit is also quite experienced, but they will again be without key marksman and captain Roland Dean, as his suspension for picking up a red card continues.
As he proved against Harbour View last week, Dean's diminutive strike partner, Navion Boyd, is hard to contain through the combined use of skill, change of pace and wits. This week, though, he will hope his finishing will be more measured, and the form of the opposing custodian, Shawn Sawyers in this instance, is not as brilliant as Dwayne Miller was for Harbour View last week.
Two-way midfielder Steve Green is day-to-day with injuries but may still play alongside Christopher Jackson, Craig Stewart and Jerry Walters to tighten up a middle which has helped tremendously in a 10-goal concession, second best to Harbour View, who have conceded one less.
Tivoli took the first tie 2-1 at home and this encounter should not be easily decided.
Hard-nosed battle
The forecast is no different for the day's other big match-up - a 5:30 p.m. hard-nosed battle at Drewsland Mini Stadium where Waterhouse will be fired-up in their quest to avenge the 3-0 first-round pounding they received at Boys' Town. Courtesy of that win, and nine others in a largely consistent season, the Red Brigade are third in the standings on 35 points and have added to their stock for the crucial chase.
Waterhouse, on the other hand, are still fixing problems internally as they appear to have been embroiled in a furnace while ringing in the coaching changes over a two-week span.
Today's Games