Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
NELSON
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Tivoli Gardens will tackle Portmore United in the feature game of two rescheduled Wray and Nephew National Premier League encounters at the Edward Seaga Stadium at 5:00 p.m. today.
In the other game at 3:30 p.m., Harbour View venture to Elliston Wakeland Centre in pursuit of three points to widen the gap on fifth-place team, Arnett Gardens.
On April 17, Portmore United were leading home team Tivoli Gardens 1-0 up to halftime, before the lights went and never returned thus causing the postponement of the game.
Today, the teams will renew their rivalry as the first and second-placed teams in the table are separated by only two points. Portmore's lead at the top has been reduced after drawing two of their last three third-round matches.
In contrast, Tivoli Gardens have been going from strength to strength, winning three from three, the last being a thumping 5-0 of perennial rivals Arnett Gardens.
Tivoli Gardens will be hoping to make it four from four and wrest the top spot from Portmore United.
OLD INJURY
The Glendon 'Admiral' Bailey-coached team will be without Lenworth Hyde Jnr who aggravated an old injury against Arnett last Sunday. But his absence will allow national striker Roland Dean to regain his starting position alongside top marksman Christopher Nicholas in a very potent attack.
Nicholas was in superb form over the weekend, scoring three times against Arnett and the evergreen Steve Green, Orane Simpson, Davian Laing and Denroy Gordon, could cause anxious moments for the Portmore defenders.
Portmore will be depending on national goalkeeper Shawn Sawyers, his brother and stopper, Tyrone Sawyers, and the young and strong Demar Stewart to keep the Tivoli strikers in check.
The league leaders and 2003 champions will also be relying on recalled national striker Kevin Deerr and Roen Nelson up front, but the man who could really make the difference is the tricky Wolry Wolfe in midfield who has been in tremendous form.
Tivoli's Edsel Scott, Marco McDonald, Victor Thompson and skipper Kasai Hinds will have to work overtime to keep Portmore off the score-sheet.
Meanwhile, Harbour View, in fourth position and three points behind the leaders, could leapfrog either Tivoli or Portmore with a win over sixth-placed Village on 30 points.
The 'Stars of the East', boasting eight national players, should get the better of a Village team with nothing to play for. Village are 14 points above the relegation zone and 23 points below the fourth-place team so a lack of motivation could be their undoing as nothing is at stake.
But a defeat for Harbour View could reignite the race for the fourth and final semi-final spot and give Arnett Gardens a glimmer of hope with seven rounds remaining.
