The day of reckoning is here for Maverley Hughenden FC, Waterhouse FC and Boys’ Town FC as one of the three will be relegated after today’s final set of preliminary games in the 2016-17 Red Stripe Premier League.

All games are scheduled to begin at 3:30 pm and eyes will turn to the Compound, Frome Sports Complex and Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex. Maverley Hughenden will try to leapfrog both Waterhouse and Boys’ Town into safety as only three points separate the teams in what will be an intriguing day of football.

Maverley are second from bottom on 32 points and will play away to eighth-placed Harbour View FC (36 points) at the Compound. Waterhouse are 10th on 34 points and they travel to Frome in Westmoreland to play seventh-placed Reno FC (39 points). Boys’ Town are ninth on 35 points and they will make the small trek up the road to play neighbours Arnett Gardens in the Trench Town derby.

Despite all three teams being in trouble, only Maverley Hughenden do not have destiny in their own hands. Even if they win their game against Harbour View, once Waterhouse win and Boy’s Town at least draw, then Maverley would be playing Super League football next season.

All that means the odds are against Maverley avoiding relegation, but such is football that any number can play. And one expects to Maverley to fight desperately for their survival, but whether that is good enough or not, only time will tell.

Waterhouse, on the other hand, need a win against Reno to be safe, but they have shown such inconsistent form that winning this game could prove a Herculean task. Only last Wednesday they were pummelled 4-1 by Portmore United, and if they don’t get their act together today there might be a lot of weeping and mourning at Drewsland.

Boys’ Town seem to have the easiest task of survival, needing just a draw against Arnett Gardens. Boys’ Town have remarkably won five of their last six games to climb from the bottom of the league and have virtually assured safety. They are not expected to slip against Arnett Gardens.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, there is a two-way fight to see who will win the $1-million top prize at the end of the 33-game preliminary round.

Leaders The University of the West Indies (UWI) FC, on 59 points, will be hoping to hold off second-placed Humble Lion FC (58 points) at the wire. UWI will travel to the Spanish Town Prison Oval to play fifth-placed Portmore United (52 points). With only one point separating UWI and Humtble Lion, only a win will be good enough for the leaders, unless the latter slips in their outing.

Humble Lion will host third-placed Tivoli Gardens FC (55 points). Tivoli will be looking to leapfrog them into that second spot and avoid the play-off spots, which will be competed amongst teams placed third to sixth.

In a dead rubber, the relegated Jamalco FC of Clarendon have the ardous task of picking themselves up to travel cross-country to play champions Montego Bay United at Wespow Park in St James. With nothing to play for, a deflated Jamalco could receive a pounding by Montego Bay United.