With neither of the Canada Life Premier League’s top two in action this Saturday, attentions turn to the division’s sharp end and the race to beat the drop.

Braddan’s withdrawal from the league prior to the season’s start means there’s only won relegation spot this term.

Laxey currently occupy it, trailing second-bottom Castletown and safety by three points.

John Palmer’s Miners side have only won one league game all campaign, against Douglas Royal in September and will face a tough test this weekend away to Corinthians.

The latter put 10 past Royal last time out and won the reverse fixture 7-4 so expect goals in this one.

Castletown have a better chance of securing some points for their CLPL survival fund as they play host to out-of-sorts DHSOB.

The Blackberry Lane outfit have lost four of their last six including against Marown on Saturday.

Town are also in the midst of a bad run, losing their last eight on the trot.

However, having failed to score in their previous four games they hit three goals against Douglas Athletic at the weekend and may sneak a point in this one.

Marown’s aforementioned victory over Old Boys made it back-to-back victories for Dave Brew’s Crosby outfit after a win over Douglas Royal the previous week.

This has lifted them seven points clear of Laxey with a game in hand. A third win on the bounce will be harder to come by this week though as St George’s travel to the Memorial Playing Fields.

The latter looked sharp last week against Rushen and should prove too strong for their Crosby hosts.

Rushen’s long unbeaten run was ended in that game at Glencrutchery Road, but they should bounce back at home to a Royal side that have conceded 20 goals in their last three games.

The division’s other game could perhaps be its closest as St John’s entertain Douglas Athletic at Mullen-e-Cloie.

Craig Purvis’s Pinks won the reverse fixture 5-1 and will be confident of doing the double over a Johnners side that has struggled to find the net in recent weeks. Saints’ Johnny Holland is also reported to have signed for Malew in the last few days.