PHC Zebras may be out of contention for Premier Division championship honours, but they can still have a major say in deciding who will succeed them as the league's top dogs this season.

Zebras hosts league leaders Devonshire Cougars tomorrow at Southampton Oval and a win for the home side would put the latter's celebration plans on hold and throw the championship race wide open.

As it stands, Cougars have a three-point cushion and a far superior goal-difference (plus 16) than that of nearest rivals Dandy Town (plus seven) who face jinx team Southampton Rangers tomorrow at St.John's Field.

Boulevard currently hold down third spot in the standings, some five-points adrift of the leaders.

A win for Cougars, coupled with a Dandy Town loss would see the Big Cats crowned champions, at the same ground that PHC won the title last year.

Almost a year ago to the day, Zebras equalled Somerset Trojans' record for the most overall Premier Division league titles (eight) during the last match of the 2007-08 season after drawing with none other than Cougars in a 1-1 stalemate at Southampton Oval.

Then player/coach Kyle Lightbourne was the hero of the day, leaping from the bench as a late sub to cancel Domico Coddington's first-half strike that forced Zebras on the back foot. But the roles have now been reversed with Cougars on the cusp of another league title and Zebras taking on the role of spoilers.

Town will be hoping that PHC can do them a favour and take the title race right down to the wire.

And while Cougars have had the better of Zebras in recent memory, PHC manager Cal Waldron is optimistic his team can snap a multiple game losing streak against their Premier rivals.

"We would certainly like to come out with a positive result," he said. "We know who Cougars' playmakers are, it's just a matter of being able to adapt and cope with what they throw at us."

Zebras will face landlords Southampton Rangers in next month's Friendship Trophy final, and Waldron reckons a win over Cougars tomorrow would put his team in good stead psychologically.

"Considering we still have a final to play, we still have a few things we need to work on and at the moment we just want to play some decent football," he added.

"In recent memory we haven't done that well against Cougars. But we are going into the match with confidence and we do have a good track record playing at Southampton Oval."

While Cougars can wrap up the title at Southampton, deadly-rivals Devonshire Colts are all but certain to finish bottom.

Last year that would have meant instant relegation, but the changes to the structure of the league means they will have a chance to preserve their Premier Division status in a two-legged play-off against the side that finishes third in the First Division.

With Somerset Eagles already crowned First Division champions, Colts are likely to face either St David's or Somerset Trojans who are currently battling it out for the second automatic promotion place.

Trojans take on Paget at White Hill Field knowing a win would give them the upper hand. Although three points behind St David's, they have a game in hand on their rivals.

St David's meanwhile face Prospect and outsiders St George's Colts play Wolves.