Portmore's Mario Swaby and Boys' Town's Carlos Wright

PORTMORE UNITED'S mid-week loss and Village United's purple patch have reignited hope and added new excitement to today's Digicel Premier League fixtures.

The defending champions from the Sunshine City had their eight-point gap slashed to five when they lost 1-0 at home to red-hot Arnett Gardens on Wednesday.

Equally hot are Tivoli Gardens, who have been blazing the winning trail with comprehensive margins that have made them the other real legitimate contender, because they also have Portmore to play. The west Kingston team's latest win, 4-2 over Boys' Town Wednesday, have launched them into second, past Harbour View who are now at a virtual standstill.

Three rounds remain and while Portmore are still favourites to retain the title, they are facing another tumultuous challenge this afternoon against fourth-place Boys' Town at Collie Smith Drive.

victory

Throughout the season, this matchup has produced victory for the home team on every occasion, with Portmore twice recording 1-0 wins and Boys' Town a 2-1 margin.

With the title very much in sight, Portmore's coach Linval Dixon noted the difficulties associated with the fixture but said they are looking to alter that trend.

"With the lead (five points), you want to close the show as quickly as possible, but we're taking it one game at a time and Boys' Town are our focus now, that's where we're looking," said Dixon, the former national captain and central defender.

"We know that the last round is going to be tough, the top-six teams are always coming to win games. The last time we played there, they beat us. We're going there to give a good performance and hopefully we can come away with a positive result."Steven Morrissey, Carlington Smith and Mario Swaby will lead their charge against Boys' Town, the league's highest scoring team.

Unlike Portmore's midweek blemish, Boys' Town have been losing since winning the national knockout championship title.

Their chances of returning to winning ways appear to rest more in the sure-footedness of their defenders and not their strikers, as even in defeat at Tivoli last Wednesday, they scored two goals while conceding four.

Tivoli go to Drewsland Mini Stadium hoping to get the better of Waterhouse in what should be an equally challenging match against the Firehouse crew.

Oraine Simpson, Roland Dean and Navion Boyd have struck rich form lately and their team has benefited with some big wins to move up from fourth to now be challenging for the title.

continue winning games

"We've to take care of our business, take care of our part of the fixtures, try to continue winning the games and play some good disciplined football and hope for the best," stated coach Lenworth Hyde Sr, Tivoli Gardens' coach.

Christopher Jackson remains on suspension, while Steve Green is out through injury but Hyde says they have "good replacements to deal with it".

"It's not going to be easy at Waterhouse. They're finding their footing, so it's not going to be easy. But we're up to the challenge."

In three meetings, the teams drew 3-3 at Waterhouse in early season, then produced winning results on the road - Tivoli 1-0 at Drewsland and Waterhouse 2-0 at Edward Seaga Sports Complex.

Waterhouse can't win the league and many times there's no greater desire than desire.

Waterhouse may have some bottled through years of rivalry, enough to make an attacking contest going miles to see.

Arnett are opponents best avoided at this time when they are searing such a path with a purpose to finish third, as outlined by their coach Fabian Davis.

But if Harbour View are to revive their chances, they need that one, great effort to settle an even three-game tie with away victories for either team and a goalless tie at Harbour View.

At the other end of the ladder, Village continued their determined quest to stave off relegation with a third consecutive win on Wednesday, 2-1 over St Georges.

Within that rosy fortnight, they have swiftly transformed their position and outlook, catapulting from what appeared certain demotion while they occupied last, to advance one position and within a point of the relegation zone.

Rivoli are somewhat safe but with Devon Hodges chasing the leading goalscorer's title, the Trelawny team will be hard-pressed to extend their run.

Meadhaven, who gave up a goal at the death to draw in midweek - thus dropping their fourth point in two games to now be in trouble - are desperate to cap maximum points against a St Georges team that's gone backwards since appearing to have fallen into safety from relegation.

destiny is in our hands

"We're just a point ahead of Village, we're in a spot of bother right now," said Alrick Clarke, Meadhaven's coach. "But we'll have to do what we've to do to stay up there. Everything is our hand, our destiny is in our hands."

Less than positive results have also dragged Sporting Central fully into the relegation battle and they will be in a real dogfight against last-place Reno, who hammered out a 6-1 victory when they last played at Frome.

Sporting won twice by a goal and the other of their three contests ended 1-1. But their slump this round have provided new hope for Reno and added more excitement to a competition in which the race for the title and that to save relegation appeared over. Not so anymore. Game on.

Games on

4 p.m. Boys' Town vs Portmore United at Collie Smith Drive

4 p.m. Waterhouse vs Tivoli Gardens at Drewsland Mini Stadium

4 p.m. Meadhaven United vs St Georges Sports Club at Constant Spring

4 p.m. Rivoli United vs Village United at Spanish Town Prison Oval

4 p.m. Reno vs Sporting Central Academy at Frome Sports Complex

5 p.m. Arnett Gardens vs Harbour View at Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex

Standings

(Tabulate under Teams, Play, Win, Draw, Lose, Goals For, Goals Against, Second Round Points, Total Points)