Presentation College, San Fernando, will be seeking to protect its slim advantage at the top of the Premier Division of the Secondary Schools Football League when it clashes with Bishop's High School of Tobago at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella today.
The southerners dropped their first two points of the season last week in a 1-1 tie with Queen's Royal College (QRC) in St Clair, a result that allowed its closest rivals Naparima College to draw level on 19 points with them. But coach Angus Eve and his troops may feel fairly comfortable against a team that is yet to record a win for the season, despite playing away from home.
Presentation, winners of the League last year, will also be hoping to retain the title it won, as well as claim the Coca Cola InterCol crown which also eluded them last season.
Naps, on the other hand, are also unbeaten to date, but face a tricky away test to Trinity College East at Squadron Grounds in Arouca. The seventh-place Trinity boys, being coached by the former national player and coach Michael Grayson, have enjoyed a decent run so far, claiming two wins and three draws in six matches.
And they will be hoping to improve this record with maximum points in their backyard. They are known to turn on the screws on their opponents at home which is what they will be hoping to achieve this afternoon. Third place San Juan North Secondary is the only other unbeaten team in the League, sporting a record of five victories in six matches, and one tie. And this afternoon they may fancy their chances of preserving this at home to East Mucurapo.
Away at St Mary's College Ground in St Clair, the home team will renew its rivalry against QRC, which is set to be the feature game today.
The Saints are third from bottom on just four points in six games, but still, today's encounter will mean more than any other for them. The Royalians, on the other hand, are in ninth position on the standings, hoping to set aside their disappointment of last week's heart-wrenching 1-1 tie with the Presentation which came late in the match, courtesy a strike from the prolific Jordan Riley in the 85th.
Coach Nigel Grovesnor believes his troops are improving as the season goes by, and a victory today will be proof of this.
TODAY'S MATCHES
Carapichaima East vs Trinity College Moka, Carapichaima
Fatima College vs St Augustine Sec, Fatima
Presentation vs Bishop's High Tobago, Union Hall
San Juan North vs East Mucurapo, San Juan
St Anthony's vs St Benedict's College, St Anthony's
St Mary's vs QRC, CIC
Trinity College East vs Naparima, Arouca