Second-placed Arnett Gardens will be hoping to extend their unbeaten run and, by extension, assume pole position in the standings when they face fifth-placed Cavalier FC in Sunday’s marquee contest in second-round Jamaica Premier League (JPL) action at Sabina Park.

The former champions, on 24 points, have a grand opportunity to jump leaders Dunbeholden (25 points), who will be in action on Monday — even if only for 24 hours — at the expense of reigning champions Cavalier, on 19 points.

This feature game of the Kingston double-header is scheduled for 5:15 pm, after ninth-placed Molynes United (10 points) tackle seventh-placed Harbour View (13 points) at 3:00 pm.

In the other 3:00 pm fixtures, fourth-placed Mount Pleasant FA (19 points) host 11th-placed Humble Lions (nine points) at Drax Hall in St Ann, while cellar-dwellers Montego Bay United (five points) welcome third-placed Waterhouse (23 points) to Wespow Park for the first time in over two years, as the league, powered by Digicel, gradually makes a return to pre-pandemic operations of playing games at multiple venues on match days.

This follows the recent lifting of the COVID-19 protocols under the Disaster Risk Management Act, with spectators already back in the stands enjoying the games live and in living colours.

Though they were already on a good run of form, Arnett Gardens have relished the spectators return for the past two weeks, as it added impetus to their no-nonsense approach, which saw them blanking Tivoli Gardens and Waterhouse FC 2-0 and 1-0, respectively, to now delight in a 10-match unbeaten record.

In fact, the only defeat suffered in their last 11 fixtures came at the hands of Cavalier on January 16, when they conceded a late 90+7 minute winner to Shaniel Thomas in a 2-1 scoreline.

That may have been over two months ago, but should still be fresh in the minds of what is now a much more spirited Arnett Gardens outfit, who will be gunning to turn the tables and continue pressing their championship ambitions, knowing very well that a win would put them in a position to slip their closest rivals, if they falter.

Renaldo Cephas, Kimani Arbouine, Romeo Guthrie and the always electrifying Damari Deacon are expected to play critical roles to get the Paul ”Tegat” Davis-coached “junglists” across the line.

However, Rudolph Speid’s Cavalier are also enjoying a three-match unbeaten run which they too will be bent on extending to remain in close proximity to the leaders.

Though they have lost one of their more senior defenders in the towering Jamoi Topey to Mount Pleasant in the transfer window, they do possess suitable replacements and, as such, will be confident in their defensive fortitude, having only concede nine goals so far this season. Richard King’s return from national duties will also bolster such confidence.

On the attacking front, the likes of Collin Anderson, Kenroy Campbell, Dwayne Atkinson and Thomas will again be hoping to make a menace of themselves to Arnett Gardens’ backline which has conceded 11 goals.

Molynes United will enter the early contest with their tails high, having won their last two games in convincing manner.

With leading striker and influential Captain Nicholas Nelson also returning from Reggae Boyz duties, the Garnett Lawrence-conditioned side should be brimming with confidence of capitalising on Harbour View’s inconsistency and lack of composure in the final third.

While they have defended well in conceding only nine goals up to this point, Harbour View is yet to really come to light in attack, mustering only eight goals. That issue of goals, or lack thereof, is fast becoming the Achilles heel of Ludlow Bernard’s side and unless they get it right today, the only question to be answered would be how long their defence will keep the free-spirited Molynes attackers at bay.

Their previous meeting in the first round ended in a 2-2 stalemate, but giving Molynes United’s current vein of form, things could go differently this time around.

Speaking of form, both Mount Pleasant FA and Humble Lions are grappling in that regards, but giving the quality of the two sides, the St Ann-based team is heavily favoured to now break a five-match winless drought and Drax Hall is the most fitting place to begin some semblance of a resurgence.

Along with Topey, Mount Pleasant has also picked up Trivante Stewart from Molynes and another attacker Andre Fletcher and midfielder Shevon Stewart from Waterhouse.