Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer

WITH MOST of the teams in the Wray and Nephew National Premier League completing their second-round fixtures, the focus will again be on the attempt by promoted side Naggo Head to attempt the near impossible - beat relegation.

Today, the second team in the league of 12 from Portmore will take on former champions Tivoli Gardens at the Edward Seaga Stadium in a bid to win their third match of the season and their third in a row. Naggo Head's two wins have come against teams not considered to be of the quality of Portmore United and the points table bears that out.

Coach Calvert Fitzgerald is well aware of the fact that they will have to raise the level of their game even higher if they are to beat the former champions and do so in their backyard.

Excellent team

"Tivoli Gardens are an excellent team,"said Fitzgerald giving due credit. As far as he was concerned though, his charges could not afford to focus on that as only a win would help their cause.

"We know we have to beat them to stay in touch and we will be going all out for that," Fitzgerald said.

If that is to happen, former Olympic and Tivoli Gardens player Layton Barrett will have a key role to play. The 29-year-old captain seems to be on a mission to validate his community team. With the likes of fellow veteran Denton Shedden, the experienced Patrick Edmondson and the youthful Kenardo Forbes, Oliver Blake, Theo Brown and goalkeeper Jacomena Barrett, they could make a match of it.

Tivoli Gardens, on the other hand, will be counting on the services of Kasai Hinds, Steve Green, Roland Dean, Waheem Walker, Victor Thompson, Orane Simpson and Christopher Nicholas to deliver in a match they are expected to win.

not short on support

Unlike Wadadah, who had very few fans witness their loss to Naggo Head, Tivoli Gardens are not short of support and a loss to Naggo Head would not be taken lightly. In the other game of the day, Reno of Westmoreland, having already qualified for the end-of-second round final, will want to add to their points tally as they go after the bigger title and close the gap on leaders Harbour View to one point.

Boys' Town, for their part, would not want to be drawn into the relegation dogfight and another three points, with a game still in hand, would help to put some daylight between themselves and those lower down on the points table.

UPCOMING GAMES

Boys' Town vs Reno at Tony Spaulding Sports Complex - 3:30 p.m. Tivoli Gardens vs Naggo Head at Edward Seaga Stadium - 3:30 p.m.