DEFENDING champions Boys’ Town put their Flow All-Island Champions Cup knock-out trophy on the line when they tackle Humble Lions at Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex at 6:00 this evening.

In a harsh economic climate, the teams will be fighting head over heels to secure the winning prize of $800,000. The runners-up will walk away with $400,000.

The competition started two months ago with some 26 teams comprising the 12 Premier League teams and 14 parish champions, with the focus being “Goals for Haiti”, with $3,000 being donated for every goal scored for the earthquake victims.

To date, 58 goals have been scored in normal time, which amounts to $174,000.

Boys’ Town, representing the powerful Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) confederation, should start favourites, being more seasoned campaigners.

But newcomers Humble Lions of Clarendon will be no pushovers and they have proved that by knocking off three of the top six Premier League teams en route to the final.

The Christopher Bender-coached Lions dispatched Georges Valley of Manchester 3-0 in the first round. They then turned back high-flying Tivoli Gardens 2-0 in the second round before edging Waterhouse 2-1.

They booked their passage to the final with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Portland’s St Georges.

Meanwhile Boys’ Town, who entered the competition in the second round, had to fight all the way to the final with some close encounters.

They edged fellow Premier League outfit Sporting Central Academy of Clarendon 1-0; Trelawny’s Village United 1-0 and won a seven-goal thriller 4-3 over Arnett Gardens in the semi-final.

In three meetings this season, the match-up is even with both teams sharing a win, with the third game ending in a draw.

Humble Lions won the first encounter 1-0, with Boys’ Town returning the favour, 2-1, and then battling to a 0-0 draw.

The stage has thus been set for an exciting game, but Bender said those three games will have no bearing on today’s encounter and that there is confidence in his camp.

Said Bender: “There is a sense of quiet confidence around the team the moment they reached the final. There is certain belief and the team, along with the community, is sensing that.

“The team camaraderie and spirit is just right. A lot of people are around the ground during the training session.”

Humble Lions will welcome back striker Kevin Mighty from injury, while Roberto Fletcher is unavailable, having represented Waterhouse in the earlier round.

Goalkeeper Shawn Sawyers is again expected to be a tower of strength in goal, with the lanky Kimroy Davis, Zico Hererra, Errol Wilkie, the hard-running Omondo McCleod, the hard-tackling Ricardo Campbell, Omar Walter, Kirk Duckworth and Narado Brown pushing for their first lien on the trophy.

Boys’ Town, unbeaten in two years in the competition, will be looking to cap a magnificent run with another win.

Last season’s Most Valuable Player Peter Keyes will be hoping to unlock the Humble Lions defence and he should be ably supported by semi-final three-goal hero Renae Lloyd, Michael Campbell, George Vernal, youngsters Jamiel Hardware and Marvin Morgan Jnr, Xavean Virgo, Daemion Benjamin and Carlos Wright.

As usual, there will be a lot of giveaways from Flow, and there will also be a special performance by I-Octane, Versatile and the Flow dancers during the half-time break.

Miss Kitty will be the MC, with Renaissance Disco providing the music and admission to the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex will be $300.

Past Champions Cup KO winners:

2000/01 – Harbour View

2001/02 – Harbour View

2002/03 – Hazard United (now Portmore United)

2003/04 – Waterhouse

2004/05 – Portmore United

2005/06 – Tivoli Gardens

2006/07 – Portmore United

2007/08 – Waterhouse

2008/09 – Boys’ Town

2009/10 – ?