Dandy Town will still be without their captain Angelo Simmons for tonight’s crucial league match against North Village at Goose Gosling Field at 9pm, as the league-leaders look to extend their two-point advantage over PHC in the title race.

Town have been missing the influential player since the 33rd minute of their February 15 match against Devonshire Colts when Simmons went off with a calf injury.

Coach Aaron Denkins confirmed yesterday that the striker will miss both tonight’s match and Sunday’s clash with Robin Hood.

“He is still recovering from his injury, it’s actually less serious than we thought it was,” Denkins revealed. “We thought it was going to be a potentially season-ending injury but it is less than that and hopefully we should see him before the end of the season.

“The captain’s role is always missed, he is the on-the-field, off-the-field leader of the group and he has been around training and prematch as much as he can so he’s still filling that leadership role.

“Eusebio [Blankendal] has deputised in his absence but Angelo is definitely missed on the field.”

Tonight’s match should have extra importance for Town as Village handed them their only loss this season, a 2-0 defeat on December 27.

Meanwhile, tonight’s Friendship and Shield quarter-final matches at Somerset will finalise the remaining spots ahead of Friday’s semi-final draws for both the Friendship/Shield and FA Cup competitions.

PHC, who are already in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, will battle with Southampton Rangers tonight for a place in the last four of the Friendship. Tonight’s 6.30pm Shield match at Somerset will see Ireland Rangers taking on Young Men’s Social Club in the remaining Shield quarter-final.

The top four teams in the Premier Division standings – Town, PHC, Devonshire Cougars and North Village – are through to the semi-finals of the FA Cup, with Town and PHC still in the running for the triple crown.

However, Denkins insists tonight’s match and then Sunday’s against Hood will be the team’s main focus.

“Every game from the beginning of the season we have approached as a big game, a must-win,” the coach stressed.

“So we’ll approach this game the same way, as a must-win game and then look to the next game as a must-win game also. Having that mindset has helped us stay focused throughout the season.

“After tomorrow’s game we’ll look forward to Sunday’s match against Robin Hood. Whoever we come out against in the draw, when it’s their turn to be played we’ll focus on them. Until then we’ll focus on one game at a time.”