DIGICEL Premier League (DPL) leaders Tivoli Gardens and Portmore United will be wary of chasers Boys’ Town, Harbour View and Waterhouse, as the front-runners look to maintain their positions in the 24th round of matches today.

Tivoli host Sporting Central Academy at Edward Seaga Complex at 5:00 pm; Portmore entertain Village United at Ferdie Neita Park at 6:30; Boys’ Town play away to Humble Lion at Effortville at 3:00; Harbour View travel to Lynch Park to face St George’s at 6:30; Waterhouse take on Benfica at Drewsland at 4:00 and Arnett Gardens meet Reno at Tony Spaulding Complex at 6:00.

Of the teams in the top half of the table, Tivoli will face the sternest test against the beaten second End-of-Round finalists at home.

Last weekend, the West Kingston boys ended a five-match unbeaten run with victory over Benfica to open the third round.

But with Portmore level on 41 points; Boys’ Town just two points adrift and Harbour View and Waterhouse lurking four points behind, the Glendon ‘Admiral’ Bailey-coached TG know they cannot afford a foul-up.

Failure to take maximum points could see Tivoli lose their place at the top of the standings for the first time since round one.

Meanwhile, strugglers Village United’s visit to Ferdie Neita Park looks likely to yield another three points for the home team.

The Trelawny side has not won in five matches and Portmore’s coach Linval Dixon is eyeing nothing less than full points at home.

“When you play against teams below you, you want to make sure you maintain your position… but teams are trying to get points to get into the top six, so we want to collect the three points,” he said.

Dixon is satisfied with the way his team has been playing of late and is looking to continue that trend.

“So far we’re getting some goals, although we tend to give up the odd goal.. but we’re hoping to maintain our form and get some more goals,” he added.

The front two’s main threat, were they to drop points this afternoon, would be Boys’ Town — who sit two points behind the leaders on 39 points.

The Red Brigade nevertheless face a potentially tricky encounter at Effortville, but with Oneil Thompson in their ranks, the Andrew

Price-guided outfit will be confident against their Clarendon opponents.

Price knows his opponents are in a desperate hunt for points, and based on their recent improvement under coach Lenworth Hyde, is expecting a tough afternoon.

Harbour View will also be waiting in the wings to take advantage of any errors from the frontrunners and continue their climb.

The Stars of the East moved one place above Waterhouse on goal difference last week, but despite beating their opponents twice in two meetings this season, Coach Donovan Hayles is not taking them lightly as his team play catch-up.

“We were not pleased with our first two rounds of the competition, but we’ve been able to make strides and draw closer to the leaders.

“We hope to continue the trend because in this round we have to win most of our games if we want to stay in contention,” he analysed.

Waterhouse, who have been having a torrid time since the end of the first round, are also in contention to move back up the table, if any of the top four fail to win.

The Drewsland-based outfit is still within touching distance and very much a part of the title race. They will be favoured to take three points against a Benfica side which has struggled in the second round.

Meanwhile, the match between Arnett Gardens and Reno could go either way.