It’s a make or break weekend for Laxey’s Cu-Plas Railway Cup qualification hopes.
Three successive defeats, the most recent a 9-0 shellacking at the hands of St George’s, has seen them slip down the Canada Life Premier League table into fifth spot.
This Saturday the Miners travel to a DHSOB side that sits just one place and one point above them in the fourth and final Cup spot.
Victory this week would give Steve Moran’s outfit some much-needed momentum as they head into their final three first-half of the season games against RYCOB, Peel and St Mary’s.
Old Boys, who have played one game more than their opponents, are yet to face Ayre and Ramsey. They will also be favourites to land the points in this one having won their last five games conceding only three goals.
Third-place Rushen can go along way to securing their place in the Yuletide competition with victory over Ramsey at Croit Lowey.
The Spaniards, whose first-half fixture list will be completed by a trip to Marown, have won their last three games 5-0 and will be favourites to claim a fourth win in a row against the third-bottom northerners.
If DHSOB, Laxey and Rushen suffer a late wobble Corinthians and St Mary’s could still mathematically pounce.
The pair, however, will need to be victorious in all of their remaining games if this is to happen. They both have winnable fixtures this weekend, Corinthians hosting a Youthie side that are bottom of the standings and yet to taste victory this season.
Second-bottom Union Mills are St Mary’s visitors at the Bowl.
Victory at the weekend would all but secure the current top two, St George’s and Peel, their place in December 5’s Railway Cup semi-finals.
Peel host western rivals St John’s at Douglas Road.
The Johnners always raise their game for these derby encounters, but will be hard pushed to end a run of three straight defeats against Steve Falconer’s title contenders.
St George’s in-form attack could rack up another big score this weekend when they face Ayre at Glencrutchery Road. The Tangerines have leaked nine in their last two games and will do well to contain McNulty et al.