Portmore United’s quest for a place in the second End-of-Round final could be seriously threatened when they face the unpredictable Arnett Gardens in the Red Stripe Premier League at the Ferdie Neita Complex this evening at 7:00.

In other games, Montego Bay travel to Frome to face Reno; Waterhouse play away to Sporting Central at Brancourt; Village United host Harbour View at Elletson Wakeland Centre and Tivoli play Highgate at Lynch Park, all starting at 3:00.

With just two rounds remaining in the round, Portmore lead the second-round table with 19 points, ahead of surprise team of the round Montego Bay on 17, with Waterhouse on 16 and Humble Lion and Arnett on 15.

A win for Portmore would all but book their place in the showpiece. Arnett have an outside shot at making the incentive final, but to achieve this, they know maximum points against the leaders is a must.

Arnett have been ‘hot and cold’ this season, gifting matches at home while surprising some of the big guns on the road. But they have match winners such as Kirk Ramsay, Ricardo Stern, Jonathan Williams and Fabian Reid in their ranks and if they come to the party, their hosts could be in trouble.

Meanwhile, Portmore are still reeling from the last minute defeat to Harbour View, which was their second in three game. However, coach Calvin Lewis believes they were unfortunate not to come away with a point from that match.

He also rejected suggestions his team was hitting a bad patch and he said he is confident they will rebound with their two home matches.

“I wouldn’t say that this is a dip in form; we are a young team and playing on the road is always tough. It was only unfortunate that we couldn’t get a point,” he said.

“But we can rebound, we have two homes games left to play and once we play up to standard in those games we should be all right,” he said.

The St Catherine club will, however, be without the influential Tremaine Stewart who was red-carded in that match. A lot will therefore depend on their leading marksman Alanzo Adlam.

After two successive defeats, Humble Lions have slipped two places to fourth and are only in front of Arnett on goal difference.

But to avoid a third consecutive loss and stop the team from falling further down the standings, the Lenworth Hyde-coached team will have to overcome a resurgent Boys’ Town, who have not lost in four games.

Hyde put their recent losses down to poor defensive display from his backline and insists they will have to do some work in the area if they hope to stabilise their ship, or have a chance at the incentive final.

“Every time you lose a game is a setback… and I don’t like to depend on other teams,” he stated.

“But the responsibility at the back, I don’t see anyone stepping up to deal with that, so it looks like we will have to strengthen at the back,” he added.

Boys’ Town coach Andrew Price believes his team is finding some form, but expects a very difficult match against a Humble Lion side looking to rebound.

“We will just have to go there positive and hope we come away with something,” he said.

At Frome, Montego Bay United could also inch closer to securing one of the two berths if they can take three points and extend their unbeaten run to 10 games against the struggling hosts who lost three of their last four games.

At Brancourt, Waterhouse will have their work cut out, but with the league’s joint top marksman Jermaine Anderson (eight goals) in fine form, will fancy their chance against a Sporting Central team that has not tasted victory in six games.

A rejuvenated Tivoli Gardens will also start favourites against Highgate United who are coming off a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of MoBay last Sunday.

Highgate had scored two consecutive wins going into the match, but were hi by the rapidly improving MoBay and will have to regroup to face the champions and the league’s joint topscorer, Romeo Parkes, who has four goals in his last two outings.

Harbour View will also go into their match away to Village as firm favourites after victory against the leaders last Sunday.

Coach Donovan Hayles says back-to-back wins have eluded them this season and he sees this as an opportunity to get two straight wins and relaunch their title challenge.