CATHERINE HALL, St James —Defending champions Montego Bay United (MBU) and Arnett Gardens, the team they replaced at the top of the Red Stripe Premier League last season, will clash for the first time this season in a first round game at the Montego Bay Sports Complex, starting at 6:00pm on Sunday.

It will be the first time the teams, separated by two points early in the season, will be meeting since their hot-tempered return leg semi-final in Kingston last season.

Montego Bay United held on for a 2-2 draw to win on 4-3 on aggregate, but Arnett Gardens were fined and had their venue suspended for the first two home games this season, for a number of incidents.

On Sunday, Montego Bay United will go into the game with a momentum after winning their last three games, including a 2-0 win over FC Reno at Frome on Sunday, and are tied for the lead on nine points with promoted Jamalco FC.

Despite not fielding the same starting eleven in their four games played so far, the champions are rounding into form and will be seeking their first win over Arnett Gardens in the regular season since the first round in the 2014-15 season, almost two years.

The last time Montego Bay United beat Arnett Gardens in the regular season was a big 5-0 spanking in November 2014.

Arnett, who are coming off a scrappy 1-0 win over Harbour View at home on Sunday, beat Montego Bay United by 2-1 margins twice last season, after coming from behind to draw the first meeting in Montego Bay.

The Kingston team have only scored three goals in their four games played so far, and face a Montego Bay United defence that has only given up one goal in three games since their opening loss to Maverly-Hughenden.

At the attacking end, the tandem of Allan Ottey and Dino Williams have started to click, and has accounted for four of the team’s six goals scored so far and three of the last four.