Old Firm duo take centre stage in top flight
THE Canada Life Premier League’s Old Firm meet on Saturday as Peel host old foe Rushen at Douglas Road.
What is always a keenly contested fixture has an extra edge this week as both aim to keep pace with the division’s top four and Blackburn Construction Services Railway Cup qualification.
Both sides have won the Christmas competition in recent seasons, but currently sit in sixth and seventh four points off St John’s in fourth.
The travelling Spaniards go into the fixture off the back of a 4-1 win over Castletown in last weekend’s southern derby, while a free week for Peel should see them enter the match wide eyed and fresh faced. Both will fancy their chances of claiming the points in a game that could make or break their respective Railway Cup hopes.
Staying in the west, St John’s will be aiming to tighten their grip on fourth spot when they welcome DHSOB to Mullen-e-Cloie.
The Saints have emerged from the pack to table what looks like a sustained assault on the Railway Cup’s qualification spots. The form of player-manager Nick Hurt and strikers Stephen and Andy Glover has been good and the trio may again prove the difference between theses two sides on Saturday.
Another intriguing match looks on the cards at the Bowl, where second place St Mary’s host Corinthians.
Both of these pair have only lost once so far and should put on a good show at the home of Manx football. The prolific Priestnal brothers, however, may just give Sam Kenny’s title-chasing home side the edge in this one.
At the foot of the table there’s already a gap beginning to form between the bottom four and the rest. Five points separate ninth-place Union Mills and Castletown who sit directly below them in the standings. The pair meet this weekend at the Stadium, with the visitors looking to bounce back from successive heavy defeats against St John’s and St Mary’s.
Town had a long day at the office against Rushen last time out, but have it within their locker to claim a point against last season’s JCK Division Two champions.
Third-bottom Gymns and basement side Marown will do well to register their first wins of the campaign as they take on pace-setters Laxey and St George’s respectively.
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Weather for Isle of Man
Wednesday 22 May 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 6 C to 12 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 6 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 32 mph
Wind direction: North west
