AFTER 13 games into the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) season, promoted teams Cavalier and Savannah, apparently headed in different directions, will meet for the second time this season.

Cavalier have climbed into fifth spot on 19 points on the back of a five-game unbeaten run in which they have won four matches.

On the other hand, Savannah have lost eight of their last 10 games and have plummeted down the table to 11th spot on 11 points after they won their first three games.

Cavalier have won six of their 13 games, knocking off defending champions Portmore United twice, Waterhouse, Tivoli Gardens, Boys’ Town and Highgate United.

Earlier in the season they lost four straight games, the last being a 0-4 hammering from Harbour View. But David Lalor and company have since turned that around in a five-game unbeaten streak that has propelled them into the top five.

Savannah started life in top-flight football by winning their first three games against Portmore United, Harbour View and Cavalier, but have since gone on a 10-game winless streak, losing eight times, with the last being a 7-0 mauling at the hands of Harbour View.

Can Savannah follow Cavalier and wake up after the Harbour View thrashing and re-ignite their season? And what better way to do it than against the last team they beat, in Cavalier way back on September 16!

But Cavalier will have revenge on their minds following that 1-2 defeat, and with Savannah leaking goals rapidly, conceding 20 in their last five matches, they should feel confident of securing three points.

Savannah, currently occupying the second relegation spot, must start their recovery run now, and this will be a game of paramount importance for the Westmoreland outfit as another defeat would destroy their already fragile confidence.

Meanwhile, second- and third-placed teams, Portmore United and Boys’ Town, could reduce Harbour View’s six-point lead atop the table. Harbour View, on 29 points, won’t be in action until tomorrow against sixth-placed Tivoli Gardens, on 18 points.

Title-holders Portmore United, on 23 points, travel to seventh-placed Waterhouse FC, on 17 points, for a tough match at Drewsland. Portmore edged Waterhouse, 1-0, in the first round and both teams should provide another enthralling game.

The long-awaited return to the national set-up by Jermaine ‘Tuffy’ Anderson could see the six-goal striker celebrate with a few goals and Portmore could have their hands full containing him.

Third-placed Boys’ Town, also on 23 points, play away to Sporting Central Academy, in ninth spot on 17 points, at Brancourt.

Boys’ Town, winner of the first End-of-Round Final, are winless in their last three games, while Sporting Central have not won in their last six, dating back to October 7 when they defeated Savannah.

The stage is thus set for one of these teams to win their first match in the second round and pick up three valuable points.

Fourth-placed Arnett Gardens, on 21 points, host bottom-placed Highgate United, on nine, at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex. Arnett playmaker Lamar Nelson is another local player who has been drafted into the senior Reggae Boyz squad after netting five times from midfield, and he should be in the mood and Highgate United could pay the price.

In their first encounter, both teams played to a 0-0 draw, but after winning just once in the first round while losing eight times, Highgate started the second round on a positive note, picking up four points from two games and could upset the ‘Junglists’ in their backyard.

The match-up between eighth-placed Montego Bay United, on 17 points, and 10th-placed Humble Lion, 15, should be an intriguing contest at Catherine Hall.

Clarendon’s Humble Lion are winless in their last five games and despite losing to Arnett in midweek, played well enough to suggest that Montego Bay will be in for a torrid time.

Meanwhile, Montego Bay never turned up in the mood for their match against Tivoli Gardens and suffered a 0-2 defeat, ending their six-game unbeaten run and setting the stage for an epic battle against the hungry Lions.

Today’s games

3:00 pm Savannah vs Cavalier @ Frome

3:00 pm Sporting vs Boys’ Town @ Brancourt

6:00 pm Arnett vs Highgate @ Spaulding Complex

6:00 pm Waterhouse vs Portmore @ Drewsland

6:30 pm MBU vs Humble Lion @ Catherine Hall

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2012 CVM TV GAME

9:00pm Harbour View vs Tivoli @ Harbour View