Leaders Mount Pleasant FA and Arnett Gardens will seek to stay ahead of the chasing pack when the second round of the Jamaica Premier League gets under way today with five games scheduled, including a double header at Stadium East.

Mount Pleasant ended the first round with four straight wins and unbeaten in their last six games and are on 28 points, one more than Arnett Gardens who they beat to end their nine games unbeaten run.

Today, the Theodore Whitmore-led Mount Pleasant will host sixth placed Portmore United, who they had beaten 2-0 in their opening game, while Arnett Gardens will be away to Dunbeholden, who they had beaten 3-0 in the first round.

Waterhouse FC will also be away to Racing United while defending champions Cavalier FC host Humble Lion.

Mount Pleasant have been on a good run, scoring 17 goals over their last four games, and while Daniel Green and Kimoni Bailey have been consistently scoring, Nicholas Nelson and Shaquille Bradford have both scored braces in the run as well.

Portmore had warmed up after a slow start but appeared to have cooled down somewhat, as they are winless over their last four games, scoring just four goals over the span, three coming in one game, a 3-3 draw with Dunbeholden.

The former champions are in sixth position and if they are to avoid losing touch with the leaders, Coach Rudolph Austin will hope for a better start to the second round than they had in the first round when they lost their first two games.

Arnett Gardens were on a tear after losing to Montego Bay United in early October and went nine games without losing, drawing just two before crashing to a 2-1 loss to Cavalier FC and will hope to rebound at the first chance today.

Arnett had beaten Dunbeholden at home in their first meeting this season and will take a good away record, four wins and a draw in six games, away from the comforts of the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.

Dunbeholden are in seventh place, just one spot out of the promotion places but are eight points adrift.

They have won just one of their last six games after winning three straight games to climb off the foot of the table but will have their hands full when they take on Arnett today.

With their Concacaf club schedule out of the way until at least March, champions Cavalier FC will hope to go on a consistent run of games and will hope to start with a win today after they had drawn 1-1 with Humble Lion in the first round.

Cavalier FC are coming off a tough 1-1 draw away to Montego Bay United on Wednesday, their third game in a week, and could still have some player fatigue to deal with, but they will be up against a Humble Lion team that is in 13th place, second to last. Humble Lion has won just one of its 13 games and is on 10 points. The team’s seven goals scored is the lowest in the league.

Waterhouse FC will face a Racing United team that is coming off consecutive draws with Humble Lion and Harbour View. They will be playing at home where they have scored all three wins earned so far.

Waterhouse FC had won the first-round meeting between the two but have won just once in their last four games, outscoring Dunbeholden 3-2 and could be made to work hard today if they are to leave Ferdi Neita Park with anything.

Despite there being six places between Tivoli Gardens, in eighth place, and last-placed Molynes United, only three points separate them, and after drawing their first game either team will be hoping for a win today.

Goal difference separates Chapelton Maroons and Harbour View, both on 12 points and both will be desperate to get off the lower half of the table.

Chapelton is coming off an upset win over Cavalier, while Harbour View have won once in their last 10 games.

Sunday’s games:

Mount Pleasant FA vs Portmore – Drax Hall 3:00pm

Dunbeholden FC vs Arnett Gardens – Dunbeholden 3:00pm

Cavalier FC vs Humble Lion- Stadium East 5:30pm

Racing United vs Waterhouse – Ferdi Neita Park 3:00pm

Molynes United vs Tivoli Gardens- Stadium East 3:00pm

Chapelton Maroons vs Harbour View- Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex 3:00pm