DOUGLAS High School Old Boys will hope to put the skids on another side’s Canada Life Premier League title aspirations on Saturday when they face St George’s at Glencrutchery Road.
Old Boys dented second-place Laxey’s hopes of lifting the 2012-13 top-flight crown last weekend, defeating the Miners 4-2 at Blackberry Lane.
Brian Gartland’s charges face table toppers St George’s this time out in arguably the game of the day.
The former will definitely go into this match with a spring in their step, last week’s victory the latest in an unbeaten run that stretches back to the start of October and puts them second only to Saturday’s opponents in the current form table.
The latter were forced to sit out the weekend because of waterlogging at Garey Mooar and will be raring to go ahead of Boxing Day’s Railway Cup final encounter with St John’s.
Geordies’ talented fold will be further boosted this week by its America-based contingent, with Jack McVey and Conor Doyle expected to feature. Chris Bass Sr’s Grand Slam chasers edged the reverse fixture 0-1 and will be favourties to triumph again in this one, extending their impressive home run in the league to 42 matches in the process.
Laxey will hope to bounce back from the aforementioned set back when they host Corinthians at Glen Road.
The pair drew 1-1 in September, but Steve Falconer’s men will need a maximum return this time out if they are avoid conceding further ground to a St George’s side that are two points ahead and have played a game less than them.
At the other end of the table, second-bottom Ramsey will be hoping for some festive cheer and to build on an encouraging performance against Rushen last week when they host an out-of-sorts Union Mills. The Millers haven’t won in six and could yield some points to Brian Carney’s charges who will welcome back playmakers Kris Halsall and Blago Smilyanov from injury this week.
Fellow relegation zone occupiers Marown’s renewed hope of top-flight survival took a bit of a bash last week with Peel comfortably taking the western derby spoils 6-0.
Dave Brew’s charges welcome Rushen to Crosby this week. United haven’t looked their best on their travels this season, winning just twice, but the Spaniards should have enough firepower to see off their toiling hosts.
If other results go there way, Peel could return to the division’s top four if they claim a big win at Gymns on Saturday, while St Mary’s will be hopeful of maintaining their faint hopes of league silverware with the visit of Castletown.