Central FC will be confident of maintaining its lead at the top of the Digicel T&T Pro League table when it comes up against Japs North East Stars in the feature match of a double-header at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva from 8pm tonight.
Two hours earlier at the same venue, defending champions and second placed DirecTV W Connection will hope to keep the pressure on its Couva neighbours when it faces surprise third placed Police.
Down at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, Play Whe San Juan Jabloteh buoyed by its first title in six years after beating Pt Fortin Civic 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 Toyota Classic draw at Couva on Friday looks to continue that momentum against struggling Caledonia AIA from 6pm, and in the second match Defence Force looks to add to the woes of Pt Fortin.
Currently, with three match-days left to complete Round One of the Digicel Pro League (DPL) 2014-2015 season, the race for the inaugural Rawle Fletcher Cup and the accompanying $35,000 is still wide open ahead of the Christmas break with Central FC leading the pack with 13 points from six matches, three more than W Connection which has a match in hand.
The Lawmen are next with nine points from six matches, closely followed by Caledonia and Jabloteh, with eight each, North East Stars (seven) and Defence Force, league winners in two of the last three seasons, with six.
But like, W Connection, Caledonia, Jabloteh, North East Stars and Defence Force have only played five matches each.
Today at Couva, Central FC enters the match high on confidence following its 4-0 thrashing of Jabloteh at Mucurapo, a week ago led by braces from former national Under-20 World Cup duo, Qian Grosvenor and Sean de Silva 24th, 30th while Stars have been inactive since a 1-0 loss to Club Sando in the Toyota Classic on November 28.
The "Savonetta Boys" of W Connection also enter their clash with Police on a high, having battled past Defence Force 2-1 in their last outing while the Lawmen were held 1-1 by Caledonia.
And while W Connection is expected to be at full-strength, Police will be without veteran striker Hector Sam, who sits out the last of his three-match suspension.
At Mucurapo, Jabloteh, no doubt still on a high from their Toyota Classic triumph will be without the suspended Adrian Reid against Caledonia, while striker Devorn Jorlsing (115 goals) returns for Defence Force as he seeks to overhaul Jabloteh's Kerry Baptiste record Pro League goal tally of 122.
Jorsling missed his team's 2-1 loss to W Connection at the same venue a week ago, but should be in coach Ross Russell's starting 11 against Pt Fortin.
Today's Digicel T&T Pro League matches:
Venue: Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva
W Connection vs Police FC, 6pm
Central FC vs North East Stars, 8pm
Venue: Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo
Caledonia AIA vs San Juan Jabloteh, 6pm
Defence Force vs Point Fortin Civic, 8pm
Upcoming matches:
Round One Match Day Eight
December 19
Venue: Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva
W Connection vs Caledonia AIA, 6pm
Central FC vs Point Fortin Civic, 8pm
December 20
Venue: Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya
North East Stars vs St Ann's Rangers, 4pm
Defence Force vs San Juan Jabloteh, 6pm
Round One Match Day Nine
January 9, 2015
Defence Force vs St. Ann's Rangers
San Juan Jabloteh vs W Connection
January 10, 2015
North East Stars vs Caledonia AIA
Point Fortin Civic vs Police FC
Digicel T&T Pro League standings:
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Central 6 4 1 1 19 6 13
W Connection 5 3 1 1 10 3 10
Police 6 2 3 1 9 9 9
Caledonia 5 2 2 1 8 7 8
Jabloteh 5 2 2 1 4 6 8
N/East Stars 5 2 1 2 4 3 7
D/Force 5 2 0 3 8 9 6
Pt Fortin 5 1 1 3 8 11 4
Rangers 6 0 1 5 4 20 1?