Log In

Reset Password

Cup loss forces PHC into priority switch

Dandy Town tonight, most of the interest in tomorrow's three First Division matches will centre around those teams in the bottom half of the standings.

The Zebras, according to coach Jack Castle after Wednesday's Martonmere Cup loss to Somerset, have put retaining the league title at the top of their priorities list. Tonight at PHC Stadium (9.00) they host fifth-placed Dandy Town knowing that anything less than maximum points could see them lose ground on Somerset and Hotels.

Hotels, the top scorers in the league so far with nine goals from their four matches, take on bottom team Hamilton Parish at Southampton Oval tomorrow as striker Ricky Hill goes up against his former team-mates for the first time transferring in the off-season.

Things are tight in the bottom half of the standings with just a point separating Parish from sixth-placed North Village. Four teams have three points with two of them, St. George's and Boulevard, meeting at Wellington Oval in another interesting match-up.

St. George's, who have conceded just two goals in four matches and have the best defensive record in the First Division, picked up their first win of the season last weekend when they surprised Devonshire Colts 1-0. That was also their first goal of the season as Philip Bailey scored against his old team.

Boulevard scraped out a 2-2 draw against the other promoted team, St. David's, last weekend and they will be determined to go one better tomorrow as they seek their first win.

North Village will also be in search of their first win when they travel to the east end to take on St. David's. The Islanders have shown their determination to hang on to their First Division spot and Village will not get any favours from former players Garrett (Punchy) Dill and Eugene Smith.

Another former Red Devil, David Scraders, is the St. David's manager.

Tomorrow's top Second Division match is between first and second-placed Vasco and Southampton Rangers at St. John's field. Both teams are unbeaten, with Vasco yet to concede a goal. Rangers are a point behind having drawn one of their four matches, while Social Club, Prospect and Devonshire Cougars are all a further three points back.