THE ATMOSPHERE in the YMCA should be charged and electrifying from 4 p.m. today as new sponsor, Digicel, links up with the Barbados Football Association's Premier League for a tantalising triple header.
Fresh from convincing first-round victories, champions Claytons Kola Tonic Notre Dame and Silver Sands will clash in the feature at 8 p.m.
Silver Sands had tongues wagging last Sunday when they brought First Call Brittons Hill down to earth with a 4-1 drubbing but the real test will now come against the Dames.
The Dames will be without captain Rommell Brathwaite, who was red-carded in their 2-0 win against Caribsurf Paradise on Thursday but with the likes of John Parris, Wayne Sobers, Brian Neblett and Chesterfield Simpson, his absence should not be felt in a major way.
Silver Sands will be hoping Shane Welch, who started the season with a brace of goals, maintains his goal-scoring touch as last year's leading goalscorer Peter Stoute, who missed the first game, remains doubtful.
A lot will however depend on the service Welch [and if Stoute plays], receives from the dread-locked Tyrone Davis (formerly Dixon), Jason Blackman and Paul "Soup" Lovell in midfield where they will battle with John Hawkesworth, Kirk Cox and young Renaldo Gilkes.
Key sweeper Jarvis Forde limped off the field in the dying moments against Brittons Hill and, if he is not fully fit, his task would be difficult trying to shut down the Dames' fleet-footed attacking trio of Dwayne Gale, Gregory Richardson and Terry Odle.
Gale, in particular, who hails from the Silver Sands area, will be eager to get on the scoresheet against his home boys and atone for last year's misfortune when he suffered a laceration over the eye.
The day's programme will kick off with what should be an intriguing battle between with the rugged Barbados Defence Force (BDF) outfit and the purposeful Paradise squad.
Buoyed by a typically workman-like 2-1 win over Silky Soy Beverley Hills, the army's football recruits would need to raise their standard against a Paradise side, looking to rebound from the defeat against the Dames.
BDF showcased a new-look midfield without Jeffrey Williams and Malcolm Marshall as Jason Holder and Jamar Watson played alongside Rohan Hall and veteran Azard Weekes with Kenny Sealy and Adrian Forde up front.
There will be no brotherly love in the middle game at 6 p.m. between the newly promoted Tudor Bridge and First Call Brittons Hill which are coachedby siblings, Anthony "Zebullin" Prescott and Ras Sipho Onifa respectively.
Whereas Tudor Bridge would still be on a high after their narrow 1-0 win against Carib Eden Stars in their debut Premiership match, Brittons Hill were given a rough baptism by Silver Sands on their return to the big league.
Brittons Hill will welcome back inspirational Gregory "Lalu" Goodridge but will definitely need to bolster their porous defence and hope that national goalkeeper Bernard Howell is more secure between the uprights.
Tudor Bridge had an impressive first half against Eden Stars, with Guyana national players Orlando Jilgeous and Sherwin Cadogan looking very purposeful but ran out of steam in the second half even though they got the winning goal late in the game.
ezrastuart@nationnews.com