With its lead expected to cut to a possible three points by the time it takes the field this afternoon, Digicel Pro League front-runner Defence Force will be hoping to regain its winning touch. The "Teteron Boys" will come up against cellar-placed FC South End in the second match of a double-header at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva from 8pm. Two hours earlier, fifth placed W Connection, former league winners will hope to keep its slim title ambitions and Caribbean Football Union Club Championship playoffs alive against lowly Police.
While Defence Force is atop the table with 31 points from 13 matches and South End, with only three points, the match is not expected to be a walk in the park for the "Teteron Boys". When the clubs met in the first round, a strike from the league's leading scorer Devon Jorsling secured the three points for Defence Force. However, in recent matches both teams have found the going tough. After starting the campaign with ten straight wins, Defence Force has failed to win its last three matches.
The results include a 0-0 draw with W Connection followed by consecutive losses against DirecTV North East Stars (2-1) and Ma Pau (1-0). However, South End did not manage any better before the three-weeks Christmas break as it was beaten by Caledonia (2-1), Ma Pau (2-0) and Joe Public (2-1). But despite the slump in form, striker Jorsling and his team-mates has sent out a warning to South End saying they will be coming all guns blazing.
"I believe the Christmas break did us well, in the sense that we got a chance to re-group and come again," said the T&T international. When Jorsling and his team-mates take the field today, his strike partner Kevon Carter (broken leg) will still be sidelined and is expected to be out for the rest of the season. "To be honest, I'll say yes (we miss Carter)," Jorsling said. "You must miss a player like Carter because of the quality he brings to the team.
"But baring Carter we have Jerwyn Balthazar back in the squad and Keston Williams and Richard Roy returning to full fitness. So we will have our full squad and we will be going all out for three points," warned Jorsling, the league's top scorer with 13 goals. In the early match at Couva, W Connection will be hoping to repeat its first round 4-0 whipping of Police which has conceded 18 times in its last four league matches.
At the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar Stars and St Ann's Rangers which drew goalless in the first round meet in the other match from 6pm. Last night, second placed club and defending league champions, bmobile Joe Public (25 points) came up against third placed Caledonia AIA (24) while fourth placed Ma Pau (23) took on San Juan Jabloteh.
Digicel Pro League matches today:
Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva:
Police vs W Connection, 6pm
SouthEnd vs D Force, 8pm
Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar:
North East Stars vs Rangers, 6pm.