There’s a much reduced programme of fixtures in the Canada Life Premier League this weekend.

With the Isle of Man Football Association’s under-18s representative side in action away in Shropshire, Douglas Royal and St George’s have requested that their games against Marown and Castletown be postponed due to player call-ups.

Therefore there are only three games taking place in the Premier League this Saturday afternoon.

Despite the reduced programme, the fixtures computer - aka Tony Mepham - has thrown up a potentially cracking game in the west of the island where Peel welcome early pacesetters St Mary’s to Douglas Road.

The Saints are sitting pretty at the top of the table one point ahead of surprise package Douglas Athletic but with a game in hand. Peel currently occupy sixth in the table but with games in hand on all those above them, therefore they remain well positioned to challenge for honours.

They will know, however, that they can’t afford any more slip-ups this early in the season - having lost to Old Firm rivals Rushen recently - so the westerners should be really fired up for this one.

Both sides had last Saturday off which can disrupt momentum, but hopefully the teams will have a clean bill of health going into the game. The Saints have already beaten rivals Corinthians and Rushen United so far this season, therefore another big three points this weekend could prove vital in the race for the title.

Fresh from recording huge victories last weekend, Rushen and DHSOB will be expected to continue their winning ways this Saturday when they face Laxey and St John’s respectively.

The Spaniards thrashed Douglas Royal 9-1 last time out, led by a Mike Williams hat-trick, and Liam Cowin’s men should triumph again at Croit Lowey. That being said, Laxey nearly stunned Corinthians when they raced into a three-goal lead last weekend before eventually succumbing 7-4, although the Miners are expected to be short on first teamers on Saturday.

St John’s went down 1-5 at Douglas Athletic when reduced to 10 men and this weekend looks like another long day against a free-scoring Old Boys team that put 10 past Castletown.