HARBOUR View will tackle the improving August Town, aiming to extend their lead, while title hopefuls Waterhouse and St Georges clash in the marquee match-up as the Digicel Premier League (DPL) continues today.

In the other games: champions Tivoli Gardens travel to Sporting Central; Portmore United host Village United; Boys’ Town take on Humble Lions and struggling Arnett Gardens visit Rivoli United.

Harbour View, in front on 51 points and with a game in hand, have been playing quite well under coach Donovan Hayles, who can’t seem to put a foot wrong.

His young guns have the impressive away record of 10 wins from 13 games and it seems they prefer to play away from home, with less pressure from the fans.

With that in mind, Harbour View should give a good account of themselves and make it a difficult day for home team August Town.

However, since his arrival as head coach, Paul Young has brought some steel to the August Town back line who have conceded just three goals in their last six games while winning four times to climb out of the relegation zone.

They are eighth on 28 points but far from safe in a closely-knit mid-table in which one win can propel a team two or three places up.

Akeem Thenstead is leading from in front and, along with new signees Daniel Shaw and Fabian Dawkins, plus Asphas Bernard, August Town are capable of an upset.

Defending champions Tivoli Gardens, lying second on 48 points, have a difficult away game against seventh-placed Sporting Central, on 30 points and fighting for a top six spot. They have not won in their last four games.

It should be an intriguing match-up with the seasoned Tivoli coming face-to-face with a young and energetic Sporting aggregation capable of playing attractive football.

Third-placed Waterhouse (41) have fallen 10 points behind the leaders after failing to win since the start of the third round and will find a St Georges (37) outfit eager to reignite their fading title challenge.

Waterhouse, who won eight of 11 games in the second round, are yet to get off the mark in the third round from four games. They have lost their last two games and coach Geoffrey Maxwell will have his hands full at Lynch Park in Portland.

Former champions Portmore United won their first game from 10 matches last week and will be looking to make it two in a row against Village United.

Portmore are in ninth spot with 27 points, while Trelawny-based Village United are also on 27 points, but occupy the second relegation spot of 11th.

Portmore, who have been flirting with relegation in recent weeks, are just three points behind the sixth-placed team and could very well be playing top six elite football next round.

Fourth-placed Boys’ Town (38) need to put together a winning run to have any chance of copping their first Premier League title since the 1980s, and they need to start against Humble Lions.

But playing at Effortville in Clarendon won’t be easy for the Andrew Price-coached outfit as they will be facing a tough and improved Humble Lions team just above the relegation zone with 27 points and giving nothing away.

They have acquired some useful players, but it will be former Boys’ Town striker Denzil Watson who could be the key in what is expected to be a close and exciting match.

Meanwhile, the struggling Arnett Gardens, who are rooted at the bottom of the table on 23 points, must beat sixth-placed Rivoli United (30) as they cannot afford to fall further behind the teams just above them.

They struggled against St Mary’s Star Cosmos in the Flow Champions Cup all-island Knockout competition last Thursday and will have to lift their game to stay in the league.

However, they do have quality players in Kevin Wilson, Leon Strickland, Newton Sterling, Kevin King, Nicholas Dodd, Fabian Davis, Lennox Creary and a young Lamar Nelson, but they simply can’t seem to get in right.

Rivoli will be without their leading marksman Devon Hodges, who is on trial with Colorado Rapids in the USA Major League Soccer, and they could struggle.

To date, Rivoli have scored 26 goals from 25 games, with Hodges netting 14 times, and his prowess in front of goal will surely be missed. Kirk Ramsey, with five goals, will have to step up to the plate and deliver for the St Catherine team.

Today’s games

3:30 pm Sporting Central Academy vs Tivoli Gardens FC @ Brancourt

3:30 pm Humble Lions FC vs Boys Town FC @ Effortville Community Centre

3:30 pm August Town FC vs Harbour View FC @ UWI Bowl, Mona

4:00 pm Rivoli United FC vs Arnett Gardens FC @ Prison Oval

5:00 pm St Georges SC vs Waterhouse FC @ Lynch Park

7:30 pm Portmore United FC vs Village United FC @ Ferdie Neita Park