This weekend?s top-of-the-table Premier Division clashes involving defending league champions Dandy Town and PHC Zebras and Devonshire Cougars and North Village could go a long way toward determining which team walks away with this season?s championship.

Hornets presently sit atop the pile with a three-point advantage and a game in hand ? along with Cougars ? over second -placed Zebras.

The big cats, currently level on points with Zebras, were due to take on fourth-placed North Village last night at the Den.

Town lead the season series between themselves and Zebras, having defeated PHC in league play last October and again in the Champions Cup semi-final.

Zebras? sole win over Hornets this season came in the second round of the FA Cup last December, a win which threw cold water on Town?s FA Cup defence.

But the stakes are now even higher for the league?s top three clubs as the season heads for a potentially dramatic climax with league glory still anybody?s.

A Hornets win coupled with a Cougars loss would see the defending champions move six points clear at the summit. But anything less than a point would allow either Zebras or Cougars to move level with them and throw the championship race wide open.

Zebras also seek to put last weekend?s FA Cup semi-final loss to North Village behind them and resume an impressive league run this season which has quickly re-established the Warwick -based club as a top contender among the league?s elite.

Meanwhile, fast-improving Somerset Trojans host neighbours Somerset Eagles tonight at Somerset Cricket Club in what will be an all West End derby.

Eagles got the better of Trojans last October to claim early season bragging rights. But they are about to come up against a Trojans side on the verge of appearing in a first FA Cup final since 1990 and fresh off an inspiring win over Village in their previous outing.

But a lot is at stake for Eagles in terms of avoiding relegation. And if the league?s great escape artists are to avoid the drop ? for the third straight year ? come season?s end, then a win over Trojans just might be the best place to start fighting off the ropes with only a handful of fixtures remaining.

This weekend?s remaining Premier Division clash at Southampton Oval could see visiting Boulevard hammer the first nail in Southampton Rangers? relegation coffin.

The race for the First Division championship also remains wide open, with second -placed Devonshire Colts set to take on third-placed St.David?s at BAA Field. Colts presently have a three-point lead over the Islanders ? who have a game in hand over the men in orange ? and certainly can ill-afford to make any further slips ups at this stage of the season.

Another interesting match up with league title implications is set to unravel at Wellington Oval where fourth-placed St.George?s host leaders Ireland Rangers.

St.George?s are presently eight points adrift of Rangers and trail Colts by five. However, the East Enders have two games in hand over the lead pair, matches which could ultimately boost their own promotion hopes later down the stretch.

Elsewhere, X Roads Warriors seek to extend their consistent second half of the season form against Social Club at Garrison Field, while Prospect host Paget at Police Field.