With reigning champions and leaders Harbour View FC dropping points in their Christmas Day fixture, Mount Pleasant FA seem poised to capitalise and assume pole position of the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) heading into the new year.

The St Ann-situated team, in second on 14 points, face struggling 10th-placed Molynes United (six points) in the 3:15 pm feature contest of a double-header at Drax Hall Sports Complex, after eighth-placed Dunbeholden (eight points) and 11th-placed Waterhouse FC (six points) lock horns at 1:00 pm.

In another double-header at Wespow Park, seventh-placed Portmore United (eight points) meet cellar-dwellers Faulkland FC (one point) at 1:00 pm, while fifth-placed Montego Bay United (11 points) and 12th-placed Chapelton Maroons (six points) are set to do battle at 3:15 pm.

Elsewhere, sixth-placed Humble Lion (10 points) host ninth-placed Tivoli Gardens (six points) at Effortville Community Centre.

Having watched Harbour View (15 points) come from behind to secure a 1-1 stalemate with third-placed Cavalier (13 points) on Monday, Mount Pleasant, who are on six-game unbeaten run so far, should be brimming with confidence to extend that rich vein of form against a Molynes United team that is still struggling for form. They have only won two games with four losses in between.

In fact, while Theodore Whitmore’s Mount Pleasant are hunting a fourth win on the trot, the Alex Thomas-coached Molynes United are hoping to avoid a third-straight defeat. If the latter’s inconsistency and, by extension, their 0-1 loss to Chapelton Maroons on last is anything to go by then, they will certainly have their hands full against a more fluent attack from their St Ann opponents.

Waterhouse has been a shadow of their usual formidable selves with two wins and four losses in their six outings so far. However, if there was ever a time for a turnaround in form, Marcel Gayle’s side will be hoping to make it happen today against a familiar foe in Dunbeholden, who are seeking to regain last season’s form which saw them contesting their first top-flight football final.

Andrew Price’s Humble Lion have been steadily rounding into top form and will enter today’s contest against Tivoli Gardens riding high on back-to-back victories with a third very much on the cards. This as their West Kingston-based opponents are among those teams still working through inconsistency issues.

Portmore United, who have five draws and a solitary win to date, are favoured to secure their second win of the campaign, provided they execute accordingly against winless newcomers Faulkland FC who are still struggling to find their footing at this level.

Meanwhile, Donovan Duckie’s Montego Bay, who has displayed the character of a team that has applied the lessons learnt from last season, will be aiming to maintain their fairly positive start, but should expect a stern enough challenge from the Lenworth Hyde-conditioned Chapelton Maroons, who will have their tails high having secured their second win of the season on last.

— (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

1:00 pm — Faulkland vs Portmore @ Wespow Park

1:00 pm — Dunbeholden vs Waterhouse @ Drax Hall

3:00 pm — Humble Lion vs Tivoli Gardens @ Effortville Centre

3:15 pm — Montego Bay vs Chapelton @ Wespow Park

3:15 pm — Molynes vs Mount Pleasant @ Drax Hall

MONDAY’S RESULTS

Harbour View 1, Cavalier 1

Arnett Gardens 1, Vere 1