The Barbados Defence Force Sports Programme (BDFSP) will look to edge three points closer to reclaiming their Digicel Premier League title when they come up against relegated Magnum Tonic Wine Dayrells Road at the Empire Club grounds this evening.
Pinelands and Pride of Gall Hill will kick off the action at 4 p.m., to be followed by Mackeson Brittons Hill and Direct TV Paradise, while over at Emmerton, Claytons Kola Tonic Notre Dame will take on Pharmaceutical Cosmos at 4 p.m.
In the late game at Empire, BDFSP will be expected to increase their goal average against a depleted Dayrells Road team that has allowed a whopping 44 goals in 15 matches.
In their last match, Dayrells Road showed tremendous courage and fighting spirit, but they are coming up against a team who are fresh from mauling one of the title contenders last Sunday, and are eager to secure back-to-back Premiership titles.
Pinelands and Gall Hill have been out of action for quite a while, suggesting that the hungrier of the two teams should prevail.
What is even more interesting about this clash is that Pinelands are being led by former Gall Hill coach Randolph Cox, who directed the Christ Church-based team to third place in 2013.
Therefore, Gall Hill players will be keen to show that they are still a formidable unit capable of challenging for trophies.
However, they will have one major problem on their route to victory – that’s Arantes Lawrence, who has registered an impressive 17 goals in his first season at Pinelands.
Gall Hill will need to focus on Lawrence and hope that their front men can do the job, so that they can stay in the title race.
Paradise are safe in the league, but they will be using all games leading up to their KFC Champions Cup semi-final as preparation to tidy a couple of tactical glitches and, more importantly, build a rhythm and a winning momentum.
Brittons Hill, on the other hand, were knocked out of the Cup competition by BDFSP. Therefore, the league will receive all their efforts and focus as they sit eight points behind the leaders with two games in hand.
Paradise have won their last three games, with their most memorable being their come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Kick Start in the Cup quarter-finals.Â
They have depended heavily on Armando Lashley to score, but due to injuries to senior players, youngsters like Jomo Harris, Rakim Lashley and Jason Worme have stepped up to the plate and are capable of matching any opponent on the night.
Brittons Hill will want to rebound and display the quality which is present in their unit. Mustafa Haqq has been short of goals lately, Elsid Miggins has just returned to first team action and Zidkigah Samuels has been fighting tirelessly, to the point that fatigue is ever present in his performances.
One notable omission of late for the Valery boys has been the highly-gifted Curtis Odle. His high work rate, driving runs and audacious shooting ability is a threat to any defence and it remains a mystery why he is still absent for Brittons Hill.
Notre Dame will be hoping to continue their rich form by securing another victory against a Cosmos team which has apparently submitted their Premiership status.
A win puts the Dames on level points with fourth place Brittons Hill and the opportunity to push for a late surge for even second position.
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