PREMIER League leaders Harbour View will have to prove they can maintain their momentum against Humble Lions this afternoon after losing two key players on overseas contract last week.

Utility player Lovel Palmer signed for US Major League outfit Houston Dynamo, while goalkeeper Dwayne Miller will don the shirt of Swedish club Syrianska FC.

Both players were missing in last Wednesday’s 1-2 lost to St Georges in the Flow KO competition, with Miller’s replacement Michaud Barrett allowing a ‘soft’ goal.

In March 2009 while on top, Harbour View loaned top striker Kavin Bryan to Nottenden FC in Norway in a six-month deal and faltered badly in the goalscoring department to finish third in the league.

However, coach Donovan Hayles told the Sunday Observer his team has enough depth to maintain their form and win the title.

Said Hayles: “So far the players have really stood up as we have won a very tough game without them against Tivoli Gardens.

“Goalkeeeper Dwayne Miller was a tower of strength, but Barrett has come and stepped up and it’s saying to me that this squad is prepared to win this cup,” he said.

To win, Harbour View — out front on 60 points — need to win games against tough hard-tackling opponents like ninth-placed Humble Lions, on 34 points.

“Humble Lions is doing well and they want to make a mark in this competition, so we’re looking for a very competitive game,” Hayles noted.

He added: “We’re presently in the lead and want to maintain that. While they can be physical, we want to be skilful on the ball and frustrate them as much as possible”

In two meetings this season, Harbour View have failed to beat the newcomers, drawing 1-1 at home and losing 0-1 at Effortville.

Another difficult game is expected today and Harbour View playmaker Jermaine Hue will be key to unlocking a solid Lions defence.

As is the norm, Hue could be the target of some crunching tackles to disrupt his team’s flow, but Harbour View can be just as destructive with the diminutive but hard-tackling Richard Edwards.

Meanwhile champions and second-placed Tivoli Gardens, on 57 points, have an equally difficult assignment against fourth-placed St George’s, on 42.

Tivoli crashed 0-2 against Harbour View last Sunday, while St Georges turned back Harbour View 1-2 four days later and based on that form, St Georges should win.

The Lenworth Hyde-coached outfit will welcome back top striker Navion Boyd up front, with support coming from Roland Dean. Veteran Irvino English will also start, as Christopher Jackson was red-carded last week.

St Georges will again depend on national defender Jermaine Taylor at the back and in Damion Harwood, Dwayne Holmes, Leon Irving and Delroy James, try and upset the applecart.

Former champion Portmore United will be aiming to make it three in a row when the take on Rivoli United in the St Catherine ‘derby’.

The struggling Portmore are second to last on 34 points and will be continuing their climb out of the relegation zone after defeating Sporting Central and Waterhouse.

Another win against sixth-placed Rivoli, on 36 points, could see them jump several places up the ladder and out of the danger zone.

Seventh-paced Village United (36) host eighth-placed Arnett Gardens (34) in a match pitting two teams who are showing decent form.

Arnett have been unbeaten in their last five games, winning three times, while Village have won five of their last seven.

Third-placed Waterhouse (43) are having a wretched and winless third round and have seen their title hopes dashed following a spectacular second-round run in which they won eight of 11 games.

The Geoffrey Maxwell-coached team must now refocus and dispatch cellar team Sporting Central, on 30 points.

Fifth-placed Boys’ Town (41) must start winning against 10th-placed August Town (34) or risk falling into the clutches of a tight mid-table.

The Red Brigade are just five points ahead of the chasing pack for a top-six finish and based on current form, could make things very interesting.

Today’s games

3:30 pm Village vs Arnett @ Elliston Wakeland

3:30 pm Sporting Central vs Waterhouse @ Brancourt

3:30 pm Boys’ Town vs August Town @ Collie Smith

4:00 pm Rivoli vs Potmore @ Prison Oval

5:00 pm Tivoli Gardens vs St Georges @ Seaga Stadium

6:30 pm Harbour View vs Humble Lions @ Harbour View

DPL table as at March 14, 2010

Team Home Away

P W D L F A W D L F A GD Pts

Harbour View 30 8 4 3 18 11 10 2 3 22 9 20 60

Tivoli Gardens 30 8 5 2 28 14 7 7 1 19 7 26 57

Waterhouse 30 8 3 4 18 13 4 4 7 12 19 -2 43

St George’s SC 30 7 4 4 15 10 3 8 4 9 11 3 42

Boys’ Town 30 6 6 2 14 9 4 5 7 11 14 2 41

Rivoli United 30 6 5 4 20 16 2 7 6 11 17 -2 36 Village United 30 3 8 4 12 13 5 4 6 12 18 -7 36

Arnett Gardens 30 4 6 6 14 16 4 4 6 13 17 -6 34

Humble Lions 30 3 6 6 12 14 5 4 6 14 18 -6 34

August Town 30 8 4 4 17 13 1 3 10 8 25 -13 34

Portmore United 30 4 4 6 7 9 4 5 7 11 17 -8 33

Sporting Central 30 4 5 6 12 14 2 7 6 10 16 -7 30

* Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw.

* The bottom two teams will be automatically relegated.