HAVING stretched their unbeaten run to eight games, Jamaica Premier League (JPL) leaders Dunbeholden Football Club are likely to build on that form — but it will by no means come easy at the expense of Mount Pleasant Football Academy.

The two are set to square off in today’s marquee contest which will be the feature game of a double-header at Drax Hall Sports Complex in St Ann at 3:00 pm.

Seventh-place Tivoli Gardens (18 points) and cellar dwellers Montego Bay United (five points) will contest the early fixture at 12:45 pm.

Elsewhere, third-place Arnett Gardens (31 points) will visit 11th-place Vere United (11 points) at Wembley Centre of Excellence in Clarendon, while eighth-place Portmore United (16 points) and ninth-place Humble Lions (14 points) will lock horns behind closed doors at the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence. Both games are scheduled for 3:00 pm.

With their first-round meeting ending in a 1-1 stalemate, this much-anticipated second-round clash between Dunbeholden, out front on 35 points, and fourth-place Mount Pleasant (28 points) should again be a closely contested affair.

While Dunbeholden are unbeaten in eight games, Mount Pleasant have gradually signalled a return to form — though their last two victories came in the form of 1-0 and 3-0 scorelines against lowly Vere United and Montego Bay United, respectively.

However, if the brand of football being played is anything to go by then the St Catherine-based Dunbeholden, who are often more fluid in their build-ups, should start slight favourites against the opponents, despite their home court advantage.

Another positive for Dunbeholden is the fact that they boast two of the league’s leading scorers in Atapharoy Bygrave, with 10 goals, and Peter McGregor who has been in good form, scoring six times since returning to the island from his stint in Sweden.

Still, Mount Pleasant possess Daniel Green who they will be hoping can add to his nine-goal tally so far this season, powered by Digicel.

On paper, the curtain-raiser seems a mere formality for Tivoli Gardens who are currently enjoying a four-match unbeaten run, as Montego Bay United have been found wanting since their return to top-flight football.

But the game has to be played and anything can happen on the day, particularly if Montego Bay United turns up truly focused. Note that their first-round meeting ended in a 1-1 stalemate.

The same is true for the Vere United versus Arnett Gardens encounter, as while the “Junglists” are on a three-match unbeaten run, their Clarendon opponents are very capable of doing some damage, if not contained.

But given their current vein of form and the fact that they came out of their first-round meeting 2-1 winners, Arnett Gardens will be confident of taking all three points back to Kingston.

Meanwhile, both Portmore United and the other Clarendon outfit, Humble Lions, have been fairly inconsistent so far this season, and just as how their first-round meeting ended 1-1, the spoils could again be shared on this occasion.

Humble Lions, though, have signalled somewhat of a resurgence after a poor start to the season, and with a three-match unbeaten record currently to their name and Portmore failing to register any wins in their last four games, they will be hoping to capitalise on any and every opportunity presented as a victory would see them sneaking closer to a play-off spot.

Monday’s double-header at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex in the Jungle will see second-place Waterhouse (33 points) tackling 10th-place Molynes United (14 points) at 5:00 pm, after which champions Cavalier FC, in fifth on 23 points, will oppose sixth-place Harbour View (20 points) in the feature contest at 7:30 pm.

Sunday’s games

12:45 pm: Tivoli Gardens vs Montego Bay United @ Drax Hall

3:00 pm: Mount Pleasant FA vs Dunbeholden FC @ Drax Hall

3:00 pm: Vere United vs Arnett Gardens @Wembley Centre of Excellence

3:00 pm: Portmore United vs Humble Lions @UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence

Monday’s games

5:00 pm: Molynes United vs Waterhouse FC @ Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex

7:30 pm: Cavalier FC vs Harbour View @Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex

— Sherdon Cowan