ANY THOUGHTS Linval Dixon might have harboured of using Under-21 replacements to face new Premier League leaders Tivoli Gardens away this weekend and spoilers St. Georges, at home next week, went out the window with Wednesday's loss to Boys' Town. "We are pretty much concerned," said the Portmore coach. "It's possible those games will be postponed."

In addition to losing their spot atop the Cash Plus Premier League after a 2-0 home loss to Boys' Town, second-place Portmore United are set to be idle, locally, for almost a month while their rivals rack up points in the crucial third round, which will decide title contenders.

Champions two seasons ago, Portmore United have been stripped of seven regular starters who left the island yesterday for a near three-week national training camp in Brazil and are set to return home on March 18.

Missing kerr

Portmore will be missing goalkeeper Dwayne Kerr, midfielders Ricardo Cousins, Rudolph Austin, Damian Williams, Wolry Wolfe, Eric Vernon and defender Adrian Reid.

As a result, Portmore, who have already requested a March 16 postponement in the Premier League, are now set to miss their next two games, remaining idle in the league until March 23.

Portmore had accepted an invitation from the Cayman Football Association to play their national side in a two-match series on March 15 and 16 as the CONCACAF minnows, now being handled by former Jamaican technical director Carl Brown, seek quality teams in their preparation for World Cup qualifying.

However, with the bulk of their starters in Brazil, the Caymanians will have to settle for a weakened Portmore side which, by Jamaican standards, would still prove formidable for Cayman, who are also set to play Boys' Town this Saturday and Sunday as part of their build-up.

- A.W.