The decisive final round of league matches was brought forward a week by Bermuda Football Association yesterday -- and that provoked an annoyed response from the club one win away from the Premier Division title.

PHC need only win their last game at home to Wolves to clinch the championship and that game, along with the rest of the programme, will now be played this Sunday instead of April 9.

The BFA's decision did not go down well with Zebras president Chris Furbert, who said yesterday he would rather see his club's match played on Saturday night.

Furbert hoped to meet with BFA officials to protest against the changes and suggested the BFA should approach world governing body FIFA about Antigua's postponement of their home World Cup tie against Bermuda, which sparked the disruption of the schedule.

"I've got to talk to the BFA as soon as possible about this,'' said Furbert.

"One of our top players Stevie Astwood leaves the Island the same day and will not be available if this new day stays. I believe he would be back for the ninth.'' Astwood is part of the national under-23 squad who fly out to Panama on Sunday for two Olympic qualifiers against Panama and Cuba next week.

Furbert continued: "I want this game shifted to Saturday night if anything at all, that's Saturday night of this week.'' Furbert was annoyed that Antigua had postponed their World Cup home game against Bermuda next month. It was originally scheduled for April 2, but put back two weeks because the ground in St. John's was needed for an international cricket match.

"My biggest problem is that I don't like what they seem to be doing, the BFA are doing everything to accommodate Antigua,'' said Furbert.

"If we are going to play the first game down there and the second here, I want to know how is it that we cannot play the first game here and the second down there -- is it because it messes up their cricket schedule? "FIFA needs to be telling these countries that you are going to be in the World Cup or you are going to be in cricket. You can't be making all of these accommodations for Antigua, for what? We already got a revised schedule, now we have another one.

"We are going to meet with the BFA and check it out thoroughly -- maybe we need to write a letter to FIFA saying this is not going to happen. I'm really concerned about this issue.'' North Village, who can win the league by beating Boulevard if PHC slip up, will be hit by the loss of their under-23 players Jamaul Boyles and Kofi Dill who will be travelling to Panama.

At the other end of the table, Southampton Rangers will be fighting for Premier Division survival, needing nothing less than a win against fellow strugglers Somerset Trojans to stay up.

Rangers coach Earl Basden had mixed feelings about the date change.

"The change of dates back to April 2 helps me and hinders me,'' said Basden.

"It would help me because I would be able to bring in Ascento Russell from school for Sunday and Tuesday's FA Cup semi-final, but it hinders me because I will have one player, Rohaan Simons, in the under-23 team who I would like to use on Sunday against the Trojans.

"I will try to contact the BFA to check into this. Personally I prefer to play the game on Sunday, but club-wise I think the ninth suits them because we will have more people to choose from.

"If the players required for the under-23 squad could be given permission to leave on Monday then I don't have a big problem with playing on Sunday at all -- but then we wouldn't have Rohaan for the FA game on Tuesday night.

"But more importantly I need the league points and having our squad at top strength is more suitable. Any scenario that enables us to be at full strength on Sunday is a key.'' Stephen Astwood of PHC (above) and Rohaan Simons of Southampton Rangers (below) will both miss crucial end-of-season games following a change in the schedule.