ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica – Leaders Treasure Beach FC are expected to be tested on Saturday when they host fourth- placed Meadforest FC in the Jamaica Football Federation Tier II competition at Breds Sports Complex in St Elizabeth, set to start at 3:30 pm.

Treasure Beach took over the lead on Wednesday after beating contenders Tru Juice FC, while Meadforest FC slipped to fourth place after losing to Racing United.

Racing United who are in second place, hosts Albion Mountain, while third placed Lime Hall Academy are away to Baptist Alliance.

Three points separate the top four teams with Treasure Beach leading with 22 points after nine games; Racing United and Lime Hall are tied on 20 points, just one more than Meadforest FC.

Treasure Beach have been on a tear, winning their last five games with an aggregate 14-4 score, but will face a Meadforest FC team who are coming off their second loss and could fall completely out of the top four if they fail to win today.

Meadforest FC will hope Rodari Edwards can rediscover his scoring form from the early season if they are to beat Treasure Beach who have only dropped two points at home so far this season.

Three players, Ferron Messam, Romario Smith and Shanoy Smith, have all scored four goals for Treasure Beach and they will be hunting for more goals today.

Racing United rebounded from their first loss of the season to beat Meadforest on Wednesday and will host surprise team Albion Mountain, the only unbeaten team left in the competition.

Albion Mountain boasts the best defence in the competition with just four goals conceded and will be tested by the competition’s best offence with 43 goals scored so far.

Racing has been held to one goal in three of their last four games and this will give Albion Mountain some hope of getting at least a point but the St Catherine Club can explode as they did against Baptist Alliance who they bettered 7-0.

Albion Mountain have surpassed their performance from last year’s inaugural season of the JFF Tier II and will have their sights set on a semi-final spot but their 12 goals scored is the least among the top nine teams and even 12th placed Baptist Alliance has scored more than them.

Lime Hall Academy is another surprise team and will start favourites to beat Baptist Alliance despite the latter coming off an 8-0 win on Wednesday, and will be playing at home at York Oval.

Lime Hall are coming off a big win over Brown’s Town in their St Ann derby and have not conceded a goal in their last three games- all wins and just two goals- in their last five games.

Wednesday’s win was Baptist Alliance’s first of the season, taking them out of the relegation zone but only by a point and they would have to work hard to even get a point today.

Tru Juice will seek to rebound quickly from Wednesday’s loss when they play last-placed Downs YC who have conceded 54 goals, at an average of six per game.

A win for Tru Juice could see them return to the top four, depending on other results, while Falmouth United who will travel to Drax Hall to face Brown’s Town FC, will be going after a third straight win and hopefully move up the points tables from seventh place and closer to the top four.

Reno FC will also be going after a crucial win when they take Hopewell United at Orchard Sports Complex while at Irwin High Wadada United will host Portlanders FC.

– Paul Reid