WITH the second End-of-Round final beckoning, a number of teams will be on the hunting for points in the next three round to secure one of the two coveted spots.

Leaders Tivoli Gardens and second-placed Portmore United are presently the top contenders, but they face fierce competition from Sporting Central, Arnett Gardens, Harbour View and Boys’ Town.

In today’s games, third-placed Waterhouse entertain fourth-placed Boys’ Town at Drewsland at 6:00.pm; Harbour View host Tivoli at 6:30, while Portmore travel to Tony Spaulding Complex to face the improving Arnett at 6:00.

In other matches, Sporting Central host Village at Brancourt, St George’s play Reno at Lynch Park and Benfica take on Humble Lion at Drax Hall all starting at 3:00.

Tivoli lead on 27 points, one more than Portmore, two ahead of Waterhouse and six in front of Boys’ Town.

However, Portmore, with 19 points, lead the second round by five over Tivoli and Sporting, and they could be just a win away from a place in the round final, providing other results go their way.

They take on Arnett Gardens, and although coach Linval Dixon will be absent, celebrating his seventh wedding anniversary, he expects his team to continue their good run and edge closer to the final.

“Our short-term goal is to go to the End-of-Round final and that is what we’re focusing on at this time, but we’re also one point off the leaders and we want to keep in touch. We’re on a four-game winning streak and we want to keep doing well,” he said.

His counterpart Paul ‘Tegat’ Davis is also eyeing the round final and believes it will be an interesting match between two teams that are doing well.

“Nobody expected Portmore to be doing so well, but they are doing good. But we’re playing good as well, especially at home, so it’s going to come down to who wants it more,” said Davis.

The former national striker says it’s going to be a close match and the team that can take their chances will get the result.

Meanwhile, Waterhouse, with 10 second-round points, are all but out of the round final, but will be eager to maintain their two-point gap off the leaders when they tackle Boys’ Town.

The Baris Johnson-coached Waterhouse have won only twice in eight games this round and assistant coach Xavier Gilbert anticipates another tough encounter.

“We need to pick up the momentum that we had in the first round, but playing Boys’ Town in never easy; they’re one of the teams that we always struggle against,” he said.

Boys’ Town, too, have beem inconsistent this round, which has seen them slip from third to fourth as a result. But coach Andrew Price will take heart from his team’s dramatic late win against Harbour View last Wednesday.

At Harbour View, the defending champions will try to kick-start their campaign against the leaders. Harbour View sit 10 points off the pace, but coach Donovan Hayles see this as an opportunity to cut into Tivoli’s advantage.

“This is a chance to take three points from the leaders so we can cut into their lead and don’t have to depend on anyone,” Hayles said.

At Lynch Park, home team St George’s could find it difficult against Reno, who have lost only twice in this round.

The high-flying Sporting Central will be looking to continue their impressive second-round run against struggling Village at Brancourt.

And Benfica will face Humble Lions in what is expected to be an exciting match-up at Drax Hall.