Leaders Racing United and Montego Bay United (MBU) will seek to stay ahead in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) standings when they take on Waterhouse FC and Treasure Beach FC, respectively, today.

Racing led the race with 27 points, one more than MBU, both from 14 games and will be looking to score back-to-back wins over their opponents today after scoring victories in their first-round meetings.

With third-placed Portmore United not playing until Monday evening, fourth-placed Mount Pleasant FA could pass them, for at least 24 hours, on goal difference with a win over Molynes United at Stadium East.

Phoenix Chapelton, who shot up to ninth place after their 1-0 win over Treasure Beach in a rescheduled game on Thursday, snapping a nine-game run without a win, will hope for a second consecutive win over Harbour View while Dunbeholden will host last-placed Spanish Town Police FC.

Racing have drawn their last two games and scored just two goals in their last three outings and faces a Waterhouse FC team with one win in their last nine games and in seventh place.

Racing, coached by Anthony Patrick, beat a slow-starting Waterhouse 2-1 in the second week of the competition and should get the better of them again today.

Tajay Grant leads Racing United with seven goals, just two behind leader Jourdain Fletcher of MBU, while his teammates Nickyle Ellis and Giovanni Cunningham have also combined to score seven.

Both MBU and Treasure Beach, at opposite ends of the table, have lost their last two games by 1-0 margins, but both will be hopeful of taking full points today.

MBU led the table when the competition took a forced break with the passage of Hurricane Melissa but have won just once in five games since the restart.

Treasure Beach will be hoping for their first win over the former champions after losing their first three outings, but will face a team that Head Coach Xavier Gilbert thinks is heading in the right direction despite their struggles.

After their loss to Mount Pleasant last Sunday, Gilbert said he was not perturbed.

“I would be more worried if we were not creating chances,” he said. “We are a team that plays off rhythm and we will get it right.”

Fletcher has not scored since he bagged a double in a 4-4 draw with Harbour View, a run of three games, and he and the team will hope he can get back on the scoresheet today.

Mount Pleasant are the team on form, not conceding a goal in their six games since the restart after winning the Caribbean Cup title and have steadily climbed up the table into fourth place, outscoring their opponents 14-0 in the process.

Molynes are not too far behind, in terms of form, however, picking up 10 of their 15 points in their last four games and will be confident going into the game.

Molynes’ last win over the St Ann-based club came in the 2022-23 season, but they earned a 1-1 draw in their first-round game played at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in September.

After winning for the first time since mid-September, Chapelton’s appetite for more points would have increased as they take on a Harbour View that has failed to win in their last four games and have dropped to 11th, two points above the relegation zone.

Harbour View were one of Chapelton’s victims when they started the competition with three straight wins and confidence will be high in the Clarendon team.

Chapelton’s win lifted them to midtable security for the time being, but anything but a win could see them back in relegation struggle.

A win for Harbour View could see the east Kingston club jump several places as well and after revamping their technical set-up will hope for more consistency.

Despite winning two of their last three games, Spanish Town Police opted to change head coaches, replacing Brian Spencer, who took them through the St Catherine domestic leagues to win the JFF Championships and qualify for the JPL for the first time, with Dwight Smith.

Smith, who was head coach of Old Harbour United, will hope to chart a turn around for the club mired at the foot of the table all season long.

Dunbeholden, meanwhile, have lost just once in their last eight games and will be looking for another win over Spanish Town Police after they had won 1-0 in their first-round meeting.

Sunday’s games

Racing United vs Waterhouse FC @ Ferdie Neita Sports Complex 3:00 pm

Treasure Beach vs Montego Bay United @ STETHS 3:00 pm

Dunbeholden FC vs Spanish Town Police @ Dunbeholden 3:00 pm

Phoenix Chapelton vs Harbour View @ Turners Oval 3:00 pm

Molynes United vs Mount Pleasant FA @ Stadium East 5:30 pm