Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
Jermaine Hue of Harbour View. - IAN ALLEN STAFF/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
RARELY IS a Reno and Arlington encounter deemed to be the feature game of the round but today's Wray and Nephew National Premier League clash is of significance as the battle for survival in the league intensifies.
With Invaders rooted to the bottom of the table on 13 points and having all but wrapped up one of two relegation spots, and with only five rounds remaining, Arlington, on 19 points and lying second-to-last, will be trying desperately to close the gap on their nearest rivals Reno currently on 22 points.
A win for the St. Catherine-based Arlington would carry them level on points with Reno, but the Westmore-land giants have a game in hand against Village.
In the final run in, Arlington seems to have the easier passage. Of the four games that will follow, Arlington have two home games against fellow St. Catherine teams Rivoli and Portmore, and two away games against Village and Constant Spring.
Reno, champions in 1995, have five games remaining, including three away games against Invaders, Tivoli Gardens and Harbour View and will host Village and Arnett Gardens.
Of Reno's five games, they have to play four of the top six teams.
PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE
So today's clash at the Prison Oval is of paramount importance to the relegation battle.
Meanwhile, league leaders Harbour View, on 62 points, will be gunning for their seventh win of the final round when they travel to cellar team Invaders.
But how well the Jermaine Hue-led 'Stars of the East' respond after their hectic battle against Waterhouse that went into extra time, could be a deciding factor. But such is the depth of the Caribbean champions that even a second-string team should be too hot handle for Invaders.
Arnett Gardens on 49 points and still with a faint hope of qualifying for the semi-finals will host their nemesis, Waterhouse (57 points). A win for the Junglists would cut the gap to just five points and things could get sticky for the Geoffrey Maxwell-led 'Firehouse' who would then have Wadadah, Portmore, Constant Spring, Invaders and Tivoli Gardens to play.
The mentality in the Arnett Gardens camp is not good at the moment, as doubt surrounds the availability of Onandi Lowe and several senior players following the clubs' announced emphasis on youth for the remainder of the season.
So a win would be a tall task but not out of their reach. It will be interesting to see the Arnett starting line-up against fourth-placed Waterhouse, the team closest to them.
Portmore United, on 60 points, have found the going tough in this round and have garnered only nine points out of a possible 18 and will want to set things straight when they welcome Village at the Ferdie Neita Park.
Village have nothing to really to play for, sitting comfortably in mid-table on 33 points, and motivation might be a key factor, thus enabling Portmore to record their first win in their last four outings.
At Jarrett Park, Wadadah, riding a nine-game unbeaten streak, host defending champions Tivoli Gardens who also cannot afford to lose and open up the semi-final race.
LEADING GOALSCORER
Tivoli, on 58 points, have been banging in the goals and it is no surprise that Christopher Nicholas is the competition's leading goalscorer with 17 goals following back-to-back three-timers against Arnett Gardens and Arlington. In their past six games they have rattled in 19 goals while conceding six.
But against Wadadah, thing could be different as head coach Anthony 'Follis' Williams made it known that whenever he is playing the top teams he will pack the midfield and hope for a point while going for full points against the weaker teams.
So far it has worked and the lone team from Montego Bay has distanced itself from the relegation zone.
The Constant Spring-Rivoli encounter at the Spring Complex should be of academic interest only as Rivoli sit pretty in mid-table on 29 points, and the hosts have 26 points and are comfortable unless they go on a losing streak to fall back in the relegation zone.
POINTS STANDINGS
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | | Pts |
| H.View | 28 | 18 | 5 | 5 | 50 | 31 | 19 | | 62 |
| Portmore | 28 | 16 | 9 | 3 | 47 | 15 | 32 | | 60 |
| Tivoli | 28 | 16 | 10 | 2 | 55 | 23 | 32 | | 58 |
| Waterhouse | 27 | 16 | 7 | 4 | 44 | 23 | 21 | | 57 |
| Arnett | 28 | 15 | 4 | 9 | 43 | 27 | 16 | | 49 |
| Village | 27 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 36 | 34 | 2 | | 33 |
| Rivoli | 28 | 8 | 5 | 15 | 31 | 32 | -1 | | 29 |
| Wadadah | 27 | 8 | 7 | 12 | 34 | 53 | -19 | | 31 |
| Spring | 28 | 5 | 11 | 12 | 27 | 42 | -15 | | 26 |
| Reno | 27 | 4 | 10 | 13 | 18 | 33 | -15 | | 22 |
| Arlington | 28 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 16 | 53 | -37 | | 19 |
| Invaders | 28 | 1 | 10 | 17 | 22 | 57 | -35 | | 13 |
TODAY'S GAMES |
| Arnett Gardens | | vs | | Waterhouse | | at Tony Spaulding Complex | | 5:00 p.m. |
| Portmore United | | vs | | Village | | | at Ferdie Neita Park | | 3:30 p.m. |
| Constant Spring | | vs | | Rivoli | | | at The Spring Complex | | 3:30 p.m. |
| Arlington | | vs | | Reno | | | at Spanish Town Prison Oval | | 3:30 p.m. |
| Invaders | | vs | | Harbour View | | at Jarrett Park | | | 5:30 p.m. |
| Wadadah | | vs | | Tivoli Gardens | | at Jarrett Park | | | 7:30 p.m. |
