Paul A. Reid, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU -
LEADERS Village are set to widen their lead over the rest of the field in the National A League this afternoon when they take on Black Stars at Drax Hall in second-round action at 3:00 p.m.
The usual schedule of six matches will be played as the race for semi-final places continues with at least eight teams still in with a chance of advancing to the next round.
Second placed Galaxy will be idle this round and this could pave the way for Village to widen their gap to eight points at the top of the 13-team league.
The Trelawny team, unbeaten after 16 matches this season, lead the league with 40 points and are almost assured of a place in the semi-finals, barring a dramatic reversal of form.
They lead the league in matches won, goals scored and least number of goals conceded and will start favourites in a match up of the two best defensive teams in the competition.
Blacks Stars have played 14 matches after their past two, against Violet Kickers and Brazil, were not played. The St. Ann team had failed to provide security for the game against Violet Kickers while heavy rain in St. Ann last Sunday resulted in the derby not been played.
Both games will be rescheduled.
Despite off the field problems, Black Stars have been able to stay in touch with the leaders for most of the season and an upset win today would keep them in the hunt for top honours.
Black Stars' work will be cut out for them if they are to be the first team to beat Village this season, as they will come up against a confident bunch of players.
Village won the first round game at Elleston 2-1 and will be one of five teams hoping to repeat first round wins.
Fifth placed Maverley, Central Link, Brazil and St Georges are the other teams who will be hoping for season sweeps.
Coming off a 4-0 win over Rockfort on Sunday and riding a five-match unbeaten run, Maverley will start favourites at home to newcomers Rivoli who are coming off a 3-0 hammering from Galaxy.
Despite being one of the top three scoring teams in the league, Rivoli have endured mixed fortunes and have failed to get into the top four and will be up against a confident Maverley team today.
Former national striker Patrick Beech and Sean Simpson, both deadly strikers on their day, will lead the Rivoli attack but the diminutive Locksley Thompson, Sheldon Campbell and Orville Burrell will have goalscoring ideas of their own.
Central Link will have to work hard if they are to win their second game against the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), especially playing at Up Park Camp where the soldiers have won their only two games so far this season.
A shock 4-1 win over Galaxy aside, Central Link have struggled in the return round and will be hard pressed to take three points today. After putting up a good show against Violet Kickers at Jarrett Park on Sunday, the JDF will be licking their chops and waiting for the St. Catherine team.
Rockfort look set to avenge their first-round loss to a Brazil team which is still looking for its first win of the second round and has slipped all the way to 10th place, just one place behind the hosts today.
