THEY stuttered in the Dudley Eve despite winning their opening game of the double elimination tournament. And now the chasing pack will hope Boulevard will struggle some more when the second half of the Premier Division kicks off this weekend for the first time in 2007. The Blazers hold a six-point lead at the top of the the league as they chase a first league title in 12 years. They surprised everybody by taking a maximum 19 of 21 points in the first half. But like a runner leading for the first 13 miles of this weekend’s International Marathon, the real test will come on the home stretch as the other title contenders look to make their move on the unbeaten, runaway leaders.

Last year Somerset Trojans led the race by three points at the half only to see second-placed North Village pick up the pace in January and lead the pack by the end of the month as the Trojans slipped to third place.

The Trojans, too, were unbeaten in the league in the first half of last season, an achievement Boulevard will be hoping to extend for another week when they take on Devonshire Cougars tonight at Devonshire Rec. If fourth-placed Cougars have any championship aspirations then this is a must-win situation for them as they presently trail Boulevard by eight points.

Defeat for Boulevard will enable the Trojans and North Village Rams to close the gap in second and third place. With seven matches remaining the six-point Boulevard gap isn’t insurmountable, but Boulevard clearly have the inside track.

Premier’s Dudley Eve champions Somerset make a short trip to White Hill field to meet Paget who will be desperate for early points as they make a push for survival in their first season in the top flight. Paget have seven points, a point ahead of second-from-bottom PHC and two behind Dandy Town so they still have plenty to play for, though, unlike Town and PHC, have never been in a relegation fight before.

St. David’s, already looking doomed at the bottom of the table, are still searching for their first win in the league. It isn’t likely to come at home against Dandy Town. The other match sees North Village playing PHC at Southampton Oval, one team with their eye on second place in the tables and the other trying to climb out of the bottom two.

National team players will be back from international duty to rejoin their clubs this weekend following defeat in Trinidad in the Digicel Cup playoff matches against Haiti which they lost over two legs.

First Division action (starting at 12.30) sees leaders Ireland Rangers taking on Wolves in their top match while second-placed Devonshire Colts entertain Prospect.

Defeat for third and fourth-placed teams allowed Ireland Rangers and Colts to open a gap at the top after Wolves, the First Division Premier’s Dudley Eve winners, were brought back down to earth by X-Roads while St. George’s Colts shocked Southampton Rangers at Southampton Oval.

X-Roads have their sights on another scalp on Sunday when they welcome Southampton Rangers to Garrison Field while St. George’s should win a rare two straight games when they travel to Bernard Park to meet Social Club (3.00). Hamilton Parish host Somerset Eagles at St. David’s in the other match.