Top flight soccer takes a back seat for the next two weeks and the recess will afford those teams bitten hardest by the early season injury bug some much needed recovery time.

This weekend attention switches to the Under-17 Caribbean Football Union World Cup qualifying tournament at the National Sports Centre. The next senior fixture is not until November 11, the Martonmere Cup final between PHC Zebras and Devonshire Colts at Wellington Oval.

Defending Premier Division and FA Cup champions North Village have been hit hard by injuries, losing both Kevin Jennings (bruised ribs) and his brother Kentoine (whiplash) while captain Randy Spence is also on the mend from an ankle injury.

Striker Clay Smith continues to play with a heavily bandaged left knee, having undergone surgery in the summer.

Devonshire Cougars are currently without key player/coach Shawn Smith, who took a nasty knock to the shin during the teams' recent 5-5 draw with Village.

Martonmere Cup finalists PHC have been without top striker Stephen Astwood for the last few matches as he recovers from a foot fracture, while Otis Steede limped off early during Zebras' 5-0 dismantling of Somerset Trojans on Tuesday night at Devonshire Rec.

Hard-tackling defender Jevone Sealey is also out through injury while Tokia Russell returned from injury during Tuesday's match.

PHC's cup final opponents, Colts, have lost the services of pivotal defender McKonnen Hollis while striker Lloyd Holder appeared to suffer a hamstring pull during the side's 4-1 Martonmere Cup semi-final win over Cougars.

Peter Sampson and Jamal Smith have also been absent from the Colts line-up.

Dandy Town are still without Kingsley Mundy, Janeiro Tucker and Reggie Tucker.

Trojans lost key forward Dwight Basden during Tuesday's drubbing to PHC while Curtis Grant is still out with a reported groin injury.

Basden's strike partner Marvin Belboda is also recovering after suffering bruised ribs against PHC during a league encounter at Somerset on October 20. Both Rohaan Simons and captain Karl Roberts have since returned to the line-up after shaking off slight muscle strains.

Somerset Eagles, meanwhile, have been without key forward Lamaul Crofton and Dion Woolridge.

In the First Division, Southampton Rangers lost the services of captain Jason Raynor to a broken ankle while Hamilton Parish's Damon Edwards is reported to be suffering a slight foot injury.