ST Mary’s put the Canada Life Premier League’s only 100 per cent record on the line this week when they take on unpredictable Peel at the Bowl on Saturday.
The Saints have won all three top-flight matches since Sam Kenny returned to take up the managerial reigns, bagging 15 goals along the way.
The cavalier fashion in which they have begun the campaign has reinforced the pre-season predictions of title contenders. However, after what could be argued to have been expected wins over Marown, St John’s and Castletown, Peel are up next – a side that was also tipped at the onset to feature in the league’s higher reaches.
Peel have shown signs of the old form under Rick Holden’s latest tenure-ship, but a draw against a threadbare Gymns last week shows they are not quite the finished article.
If the mercurial Daniel Bell plays for the westerners then they have a chance of denting the Saints’ winning start, if not you’d have to favour the Steven Priestnal-inspired hosts to collect all three points.
St George’s post-mumps campaign continues at surprise package Corinthians this week. Geordies claimed a much-needed victory over DHSOB last week and will be keen to show their season is back on track against their undefeated visitors who took a point off early leaders Laxey on Saturday.
Geordies will be marginal favourites to claim the spoils on offer, but as Corinthians have already shown this season they are handy unit themselves.
In Crosby, the Premier League’s two newest additions, Marown and Union Mills, go head-to-head.
The pair enjoyed some titanic tussles last term and this season should be no different with both looking for points to aid their top-flight survival funds.
Mills enjoyed a good win over Ramsey last weekend and with Marown yet to get off the mark, you’d have to favour Derek Cowley’s Merrymen to return to Garey Mooar with the points.
Elsewhere Gymns will look to build on Saturday’s encouraging peformance against Peel against the westerners’ Old Firm rivals Rushen this week, while Ramsey will aim to bounce back from last week’s reverse at Mills against out-of-sorts DHSOB.
The final match of the weekend sees St John’s host Castletown with the latter still smarting from their heavy St Mary’s loss.