COMPETITION FOR the one remaining spot among three legitimate contenders in the end of the second-round final has intensified interest in today's penultimate set of Digicel Premier League games.

Defending league champions Portmore United have already qualified as they have an unassailable 23 points following a 2-0 triumph which has affected Tivoli's chances, leaving the west Kingston team with the fifth-highest second round tally of 14 points.

Ironically, in-form Portmore could end up giving Tivoli Gardens' faint hopes a big lift by winning against Boys' Town in one of the day's big clashes at Boys' Town.

That will take some doing, as the Red Brigade, who hold pole position for the other spot in the final, with 17 points, have the most successful home record this campaign, winning seven of their 10 matches.

First-round ending

End of first round champions Harbour View, who led the league for the longest stretch this season, are second overall and also very much in the thick of the battle for another final placing with 16 points in this second stanza.

They, too, have a tough fixture, hosting improving Waterhouse at Harbour View Mini Stadium in the day's late game, scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. kick-off.

Also in the hunt are Arnett Gardens who, among the end-of-round final contenders, have on paper an easier fixture in a mid-afternoon encounter against third-from-bottom Village United at Elleston Wakeland Community Centre in Trelawny. The 'Junglists' have also accumulated 16 points this round.

The fact that Portmore have already advanced to the second bonus final and Village's position is lowly, won't guarantee any easy points, as the struggle for points is unending in this long trek to win the championship and also avoid relegation.

And though the formbook suggests tricky reading on occasions, its forecast is not looking so good for Boys' Town who were hammered for an atrocious defensive display 6-2 at Waterhouse on Sunday and have drawn with joint bottom-placed teams Sporting Central Academy and Meadhaven in their past four fixtures.

The lopsided Waterhouse result was an aberration, as in their 20 games this season, Boys' Town had either conceded one goal or none in 15 fixtures. Four other times when they let in two goals, three were in away fixtures and the other was a 2-0 loss against Tivoli that decided the latter's place in the end-of-round final.

Outstanding record

On the plus side though, besides their outstanding record at Collie Smith Drive, the Trench Town team, which is joint third in the overall standings on 35 points - seven off Portmore, accounted for the big scalp of Harbour View in that sequence, another factor that speaks to its capabilities.

George Vernal scored both goals for the Colour Red on Sunday and he numbers among their main dangers, along with their chief scorers Denzil Watson and Peter Keyes.

Portmore's form, especially since the return of heavy-scoring forward Roen Nelson from semi-pro ball in Trinidad and Tobago, has been quite imposing. Since losing at Tivoli on November 9, they have been cantering merrily on an 11-game unbeaten streak during which they have hammered out nine wins.

A 1-0 scoreline in the corresponding fixture at Ferdie Neita Park counts in that impressive win tally, characterising Portmore's destructive mood.

Drawing four times

Harbour View once held that stature, but have tapered off lately, drawing four times, losing and winning once in their past six fixtures. Waterhouse, with two draws, losses and victories in their past six, are hardly better, but they seem to have regained their appetite for the big time and should contribute significantly to an action-packed thriller.

Though two points off the cellar, at 18, Village have shown recent signs of improvement under new coach Mervin White and could prove a handful for Arnett.

The 'Junglists', on the other hand, seem to be finding their range after a very marginal run during which, more often than not, they ended up worse off and a few times, equal in one or two-goal matches, including the first-leg fixture at Arnett that ended 1-1.

Now, with Kevin Wilson especially hitting the target with some amount of frequency, Arnett are experiencing their best form since the league began with five wins in their past six games and should earn a result that keeps them competitive for the other end-of-round final spot.

TODAY'S GAMES

Harbour View vs Waterhouse at Harbour View Mini Stadium - 6:30 p.m.

Boys' Town vs Portmore United at Collie Smith Drive - 3:30 p.m.

Tivoli Gardens vs Sporting Central Academy at Edward Seaga Sports Complex - 5 p.m.

Rivoli United vs Meadhaven United at Spanish Town Prison Oval - 4 p.m. Village United vs Arnett Gardens at Elleston Wakeland Centre - 3:30 p.m.

Reno vs St Georges at Frome Sports Complex - 3:30 p.m.

STANDINGS