THE two-horse race for the Digicel Premier League (DPL) title continues in earnest this afternoon with leaders Harbour View travelling to Elleston Wakeland Centre to tackle Village United in a 3:30 pm match.

Meanwhile, defending champions and second-placed team Tivoli Gardens entertain Rivoli United at the Edward Seaga Complex, starting at 5:00 pm.

In other games, Boys’ Town play away to bottom-of-the-table Sporting Central Academy at Brancourt; Humble Lion host Arnett Gardens at Effortville Community Centre and Portmore United take on St Georges Sports Club at Ferdie Neita Park, all starting at 3:30 pm.

In a 6 o’clock kick-off at Drewsland, Waterhouse entertain August Town.

With only two rounds to go before the end of the third round, Harbour View and Tivoli Gardens are miles ahead of the other teams in the standings.

Harbour View sit atop the league with 61 points — one more than Tivoli. Their nearest challengers — Boys’ Town and Waterhouse — are 17 points off the lead with 44 points each.

Harbour View defeated Village 2-0 in the first round away from home, but lost the home fixture 0-1 to the Trelawny team, who are tied on 37 points with sixth-placed Rivoli and still eyeing a top-six finish.

However, Harbour View’s coach Donovan Hayles says they will be looking back at the some of the positives from the first games as that could be the key to them coming away with full points.

“Our pre-match preparation has gone well and we have analysed certain things about the Village team… but they have improved a whole lot and might be a bit more difficult,” he said.

The team will have to cope without defensive stalwart Dicoy Williams, who is on trial overseas, but Hayles in confident he has adequate replacement.

He said the team has struck a good balance and rhythm in recent weeks and has been consistent in obtaining positive results.

“We’re the most consistent team in the league… over the three round. Even though we didn’t win the first or second round we were just about there with points.

“We finished with the third highest in the first and the second highest in the second, and now we’re ahead, so the consistency is there and we have two games this round and we just want to continue that way,” Hayles stated.

Meanwhile, champions Tivoli will have a daunting task to stay abreast of the leaders when they take on a team they are yet to beat this season in Rivoli United.

The Spanish Town-based club who are hoping for a positive result to claim sixth spot, held the west Kingston team to a 3-3 draw in their first meeting at the Seaga Complex and then played to a 1-1 tie in the return game at Prison Oval.

Tivoli’s coach Lenworth Hyde anticipates another tough encounter, but believes his team is in top form and should be able to take full points against their nemesis.

“It’s going to be tough because we haven’t beaten them this season and both times we were in the lead and they came back to draw the games, so we have to be very focused for this game and concentrate for 90 minutes,” he said.

“… We also want to have a clean sheet because we can’t afford to give up goals in this position. We have to try and maintain our lead if we score or keep the sheet clean until we can score,” he added.

The team will be without key suspended midfielder Jerry Walters, but Hyde believes they have the momentum and desire to win.

“Every game is a final right now… we’ve been having an excellent round so far, so it’s important that we stay focused and have the right attitude, because physically we’re ready, but it’s how we approach these games mentally that will be important,” he said.

Meanwhile, the fight at the other end of the table remains just as intriguing with Sporting Central sinking deeper into the relegation mire after only two points from their last eight fixtures.

They take on a Boys’ Town side sitting third, but which has recorded only one win in their last five outings.

Second-from-bottom August Town take on the fourth-placed Waterhouse and should fancy coming away with something from this game.

August Town have been inconsistent this round, winning four and losing five of their nine matches. However, Waterhouse have been cold throughout the entire round, with not even a single win in their nine games.

But the Drewsland crowd always demands a lot from their players and that could be enough to lift the languishing Geoffrey Maxwell-coached outfit to give a good account of themselves.

Arnett Gardens and Humble Lions are also in with a shot at sixth place, but they will require all three points to keep their hopes alive when they meet at Effortville. Both are locked on 35 points.

Portmore United, who are tied with August Town on 34 points, will try to continue their climb up the table against St Georges.

The Neville ‘Bertis’ Bell-coached Portmore have gone three games unbeaten and should fancy a good result against the unpredictable but defensively solid St Georges.