It’s a potentially pivotal evening of football in both the Canada Life Premier League and DPS Ltd Division Two tonight (Tuesday).
In the top flight, DHSOB could be relegated to the second tier should they lose at home to Rushen United at Blackberry Lane.
Even a draw might not be enough to prevent their demotion as, if Marown manage to defeat St George’s at Glencrutchery Road, then Old Boys will drop down a division.
Should both DHSOB and Marown draw their games this evening, Old Boys will be all but down as they will be nine points adrift of safety with only three games to play and an inferior goal difference.
One of the other teams battling to avoid relegation is Onchan who ‘host’ FA Cup winners Corinthians in a game switched to Ballafletcher (now that the stockcar season is underway at the Os’ Nivison Stadium).
Onchan are in a slightly healthier position than DHSOB and have a game in hand on all the teams around them.
But with a vastly inferior goal difference of -46 (compared to Old Boys’ -32, Marown’s -18 and Geordies’ -15), the Os need to start picking up points quickly if they are to claw back to six-point deficit to safety in their remaining five games.
At the other end of the table, newly-crowned Premier League champions Peel will receive their trophy in the north of the island where they travel to take on a Ramsey side which knocked Corinthians out of the Hospital Cup on Saturday.
The other game in the top flight sees Railway Cup semi-finals St John’s entertain last year’s league champions Ayre United at Mullen-e-Cloie.
It’s also a huge night in DPS Ltd Division Two as there’s a crucial top-of-the-table clash at Balleira Road where second-placed Michael United host leaders St Mary’s.
This is the Saints’ last league game of the campaign and, should they claim even a point, then they will be crowned second division champions to add to their recent Woods Cup success in the first season back in football following a brief hiatus.
Michael are currently six points behind St Mary’s in the table with two games remaining, therefore the Aces need to inflict a big defeat on the Saints tonight then thrash Foxdale at Billy Goat Park in their final game as they attempt to somehow overturn a seemingly insurmountable 34-goal swing to topple Mary’s at the top.
Should St Mary’s avoid defeat then they will be presented with the DPS Division Two league trophy this evening after the game.
Elsewhere in the second tier of Manx football, a close contest could be on the cards at Victoria Road where Hospital Cup quarter-finalists Colby are the visitors to Braddan.
The final game is between sixth-placed Foxdale and fifth-placed Castletown at Billy Goat Park which could prove to be a key fixture in the race for a top-four finish and with it a place in the end-of-season Paul Henry Gold Cup.
Tuesday, May 2:
(6.30pm kick-offs)
Canada Life Premier League
Onchan v Corinthians @ Corinthians
St George’s v Marown
St John’s v Ayre
DHSOB v Rushen
Ramsey v Peel
DPS Ltd Division Two
Braddan v Colby
Foxdale v Castletown
Michael Utd v St Mary’s