After being idle during Sunday’s round of matches, Tivoli Gardens will return to action refreshed and primed for a positive result when they take the spotlight in an intriguing, midweek Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) clash against leaders Portmore United at Edward Seaga Sports Complex today at 3:00 pm.

Meanwhile, The University of the West Indies (UWI) will be aiming to halt their losing skid and get back into the top six when they visit the struggling Boys’ Town at Barbican Stadium, also at 3:00 pm.

In the day’s other fixture, Humble Lion will welcome Reno FC in another marquee battle of the teams hunting a play-off spot, at Effortville Community Centre.

Tivoli Gardens are currently occupying fourth position on 37 points, 13 points behind the leaders and seven points off second-placed Arnett Gardens. They will be aiming to cut into that lead and by extension return to winning ways, following a 1-2 defeat to Reno FC at home in their last fixture two Sundays ago.

Should they come out victorious, Tivoli Gardens would provisionally jump into third spot with a two-point gap and a game in hand over Cavalier SC, who will be in action against Montego Bay United tomorrow.

This would restore the confidence of the Omar Edwards-coached team going forward, as they seek to regain their rich early season form which, at one point, saw them racking up six consecutive victories.

The West Kingston team has only mustered five points from a possible 15 in their last five fixtures, and though Portmore United are no pushovers, they will be hoping to improve that record with win number 11 of the season.

Elton Thompson, Jermaine Johnson, Junior McGregor and Andre Moulton will be key players in their efforts if they are to pull off the win.

But Portmore United, who are sitting pretty atop the standings on 50 points, came away 2-0 winners when these two teams last met, and based on current form, are again favoured to pocket all three points.

However, the Shavar Thomas-conditioned team, coming off a 3-1 win over Sandals South Coast on last, will be hard-pressed to repeat that feat as they are still without a few of their top players.

As such Venton Evans, Saneekie Burton, Chevany Willis and captain Ewan Grandison, returning from injury, will again be called upon to hold the fort and ensure Portmore United a second straight victory.

At Barbican Stadium it will be a battle of the struggling teams, as both Boys’ Town and UWI FC are finding points hard to come by; but today’s fixture provides an opportunity for a change of fortune for either side.

After clinging to sixth position for quite some time, UWI FC have inevitably slipped to seventh on 29 points, having lost their last three games, but a win today could provisionally push them back into sixth place.

It is interesting to note that only three points separate Harbour View (30 points), who now occupy sixth position, from 10th-placed Montego Bay United (27 points), which speaks volumes about the intense battle for that coveted play-off spot.

For Boys’ Town, who are rooted at the foot of the 12-team standings on 14 points, their hopes of another season in top flight football gets slimmer and slimmer with each passing game. They are now tasked with winning their last nine fixtures — including today’s game — in the preliminary phase to have any chance of survival.

Ninth-placed Humble Lion, on 28 points, could improve their form against eight-placed Reno FC, on 29 points, in what should be an evenly contested fixture. There is not much separating the two teams which both registered one win, one draw and a loss from their last three games.

And with their previous meeting ending in a 1-1 stalemate, the three points could go either way, even with Humble Lion now holding the lethal Craig Foster, who recently made the move from Reno FC.

Today’s schedule

3:00 pm Boys’ Town vs UWI FC @ Barbican Stadium

3:00 pm Humble Lion vs Reno FC @ Effortville Community Centre

3:00 pm Tivoli Gardens FC vs Portmore United @ Edward Seaga Sports Complex

Tomorrow’s schedule

3:00 pm Sandals South Coast vs Harbour View @ STETHS

7:00 pm Cavalier SC vs Montego Bay United @ Stadium East