Rangers get chance to regain lead
Southampton Rangers have their sights on sole possession of first place in the Premier Division tonight when they make the short journey west to meet Dudley Eve champions Somerset Trojans (8.00).Rangers, under new coach Marvin Belboda, have been transformed this season, proving that their season-opening win over league champions Dandy Town two months ago was no fluke at all.They have added four more wins to that result to tally 16 out a maximum of 21 points for the season, and topped the table before being overtaken by Cougars last weekend.However, both have the same amount of points, Cougars leading only by virtue of the fact they have scored more goals.Somerset, who began the campaign as one of the teams to watch, took the Dudley Eve back to the west, though their league form has been indifferent with ten points from seven matches which leaves them in mid-table, six points behind joint leaders Cougars and Rangers and seven ahead of the relegation zone.Dion Stovell continues to play an important role for Trojans, scoring twice last weekend as they drew 2-2 with North Village.Another match tomorrow night at Goose Gosling Field will involve two teams near the other end of the table when bottom team Robin Hood take on third-from-bottom Wolves (9.00). Robin Hood, boosted by the late transfer of Antwan Russell, have managed just a single win this season, that coming against St. George’s recently when Russell netted both goals on his debut at Wellington Oval.Victory for either team tomorrow night will be crucial as three points would enable Wovles to put further distance between themselves and the relegation places while a Hood win would lift them off the bottom for the first time.Three other matches are scheduled for Sunday, the pick of them being the clash at Devonshire Rec where division leaders Cougars host mid-table North Village Rams.Despite their early exit from the Dudley Eve tournament, Cougars have been impressive in the league, winning five of their seven matches while Village have been inconsistent with three wins and three losses in seven outings.St. George’s couldn’t have asked for a tougher time to begin picking up the points as league champions Dandy Town will be in no mood for generosity when former goalkeeper Cymande Davis brings his team to St. John’s Field.Town have not managed to match last season’s form which saw them take the league crown, but there is still too much quality in their ranks to rule them out of the title race. Only four points separate them from the top two teams.PHC host Flanagan’s Onions in the other match at Southampton Oval as Onions striker Keston Lewis goes up against his former team.Onions, flirting with the top spot at one point, have slumped lately and now find themselves in seventh place on ten points the same number of points they had six weeks ago when they were the last unbeaten team in the division. Three straight losses have taken the shine off Onions’ good start to the campaign.In the First Division, leaders St. David’s have a bye so chasing trio Hamilton Parish, X-Roads and BAA will look to seize the opportunity to close the gap. Parish are away to Ireland Rangers while BAA and X-Roads clash in the second match at Goose Gosling Field.In other matches Devonshire Colts host YMSC, Somerset Eagles entertain Prospect and Boulevard take on pointless Paget in the opening match at Goose Gosling Field.