DEFENDING champions Cavalier FC will seek to lessen the gap to the top three teams when they take on Dunbeholden FC in their Jamaica Premier League second-round game, scheduled to be played at Dunbeholden Sports Complex today at 3:00 pm.

With the top three teams set to be in action in a double-header at Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Monday, Cavalier, who are unbeaten in their last four games, albeit only winning once in that span, can cut the gap.

Cavalier are in fourth place on the tables with 28 points, six behind joint second-place Montego Bay United and Arnett Gardens who will meet on Monday, with Mount Pleasant FA leading with 37 points.

The Rudolph Speid-coached Cavalier have not been as fluent as they would have liked over the last five rounds, scoring more than one goal only twice — in a 3-1 win over last-place Humble Lion and while giving up the lead twice against Waterhouse on Monday in a 2-2 draw.

Today, they will take on a 12th-placed Dunbeholden team that has been winless in its last six games and is perilously close to the relegation zone. Cavalier should be able to get a second win over the St Catherine-based club which they had beaten 4-1 in the first round.

Jalmaro Calvin, who scored a brace against Waterhouse on Monday to join Montego Bay United’s Brian Brown at the top of the goalscoring charts, both on 10 goals, could be the man to lead them to a long-overdue win.

Shaquille Stein also has five goals for Cavalier, with Christopher Ainsworth and Dwayne Atkinson both on three goals.

Waterhouse FC would have been encouraged by their performance against Cavalier on Monday and will be confident going up against a Tivoli Gardens team that has shown improvement after a slow start. Tivoli has climbed to seventh and must have their sights set on getting into the play-offs places soon.

Tivoli will go into the game in better form than Waterhouse after taking 10 of their 20 points in their last five outings.

Portmore United are overdue for a win — after slipping all the way to sixth place — and have not won in their last seven games despite a red-hot period when they were unbeaten in seven games, picking up 19 of their 24 points.

Coach Rudolph Austin will be hoping to replicate their 2-0 first-round win against Vere Phoenix United who have won two and lost two of their last five matches, including a 5-0 hiding from Molynes United.

Molynes United will be gunning for a third-straight win when they meet Chapelton Maroons at Drewsland Stadium, with both teams locked on 16 points and only separated by goal difference.

Molynes United have scored eight goals in their last two games and will start favourites to beat Chapelton who gave up an early lead away to Montego Bay United and lost 2-1, snapping a run of three games during which they had dragged themselves from the foot of the table.

In the other game on the day, Harbour View will host Humble Lion in a battle of the relegation zone teams in which both have identical records of four losses and a draw in their last five games.

A win for Harbour View could see them escape the drop zone — but only if Dunbeholden lose their game.

Sunday’s games:

Harbour View vs Humble Lion – Harbour View Stadium 3:00 pm

Vere Phoenix United vs Portmore United – Wembley Centre of Excellence 3:00 pm

Dunbeholden FC vs Cavalier FC – Dunbeholden Sports Complex 3:00 pm

Chapelton Maroons vs Molynes United – Drewsland Stadium 3:00 pm

Waterhouse FC vs Tivoli Gardens FC – Drewsland Stadium 5:30 pm