Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

FOUR TEAMS will battle for a chance to avoid a heated battle to remain in the top flight as the penultimate round of the National Premier League (NPL) comes to an end today.

At the head of the pack, leaders Portmore United, who play Reno today, must be salivating at the potential of going eight points clear with only five games to go in the next round.

However, the temperature is possibly even higher at the other end as St. Georges, Village, Sporting Central and Seba all jostle for the "safe spot".

The addition fourth round introduced this season will see the league split into two halves, the teams who finish in the top half of the 12-team league will play off against each other, while the teams who finish in the bottom half of the table will also face-off. In a tightly-packed table, which sees just seven points separate position 6-12 a spot in the top half will ensure that teams avoid the war for survival.

Sixth spot

Promoted this season, St Georges, on 39 points, currently cling to sixth spot by the narrowest of margins.

The Portland team is currently tied with Village on the same amount of points, level on head-to-head and have the same goal difference.

They are however narrowly ahead on the third tiebreaker criterion, as having netted 36 times overall for the season, they have scored four more goals than Village.

The position is however by no means secure and today they face a stern test when they tackle a team still in contention for the league title, Tivoli Gardens, at the Edward Seaga Complex. Five points behind leaders Portmore United on 56, Tivoli can ill afford to fall further behind and having lost their past two games nothing less than a win will do headed into the final round.

Village will in the meantime travel to Collie Smith Drive where they face a Boys' Town team still with a slim outside shot of winning the league.

Although on 47 points and already 14 adrift of the leaders, Boys' Town's chances seem to exist only in the realm of mathematics, the Red Brigade know that the simple equation of winning all remaining games is their only shot.

Must-win affair

Both St Georges and Village must also be wary of Sporting Central and Seba who could capture the safe spot if they draw their games. In a must-win affair, Sporting, who are eighth on 38 points, will host Seba, who are right below them in ninth, on 37 points at Brancourt.

Although they have no chance of securing the sixth spot, 10th-place Reno, on 33, know they are already in the thick of the battle for survival when they host leaders Portmore. The Westmoreland team has lost both encounters to Portmore this season.

Putting in a spirited performance to stay in the top flight, August Town (11th), unbeaten in their past three games, will travel to the Drewsland Stadium to play a Waterhouse side all but eliminated from title contention.

With five games to go after today, Waterhouse, on 44 points, are 17 points behind Portmore.

Languishing at the bottom of the table for the second time this season on 32 points, a desperate Arnett Gardens have another tough fixture when they face defending champions Harbour View today.

In fourth place on 47 points, the title holders have an almost impossible task to retain the Cup. All games kick off at 3:30 p.m.