Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer

Fabian Dawkins - a major player in Village's resurgence. - File

LEADERS Portmore await next-to-last Arnett at Ferdie Neita Park, whereas Tivoli travel to fourth-place Harbour View after knocking the Stars of the East out of the COK Champions Cup quarter-finals on Thursday in tomorrow's Premier League action.

However, its not the top of the Premier League where the intrigue lies tomorrow but rather mid-table where Village United and Sporting Central are locked on 38 points apiece, gunning for the magical sixth spot to play among the elite in the fourth round.

Teams falling below sixth spot at the end of the third round, will play in a separate group to avoid relegation in the fourth round.

However, sixth spot is far from confined to Village and Sporting Central, who are down to face Waterhouse and last-place August Town respectively in away matches.

Should both teams lose or draw their games, the flood gates would be thrown wide open as either St Georges or Seba United, both on 36 points, could move to 39 points if they secure home victories against Boys' Town and Reno respectively.

Any tie for sixth place after Wednesday's final set of games in the round, will be separated by head-to-head results followed by goal difference, then goals scored.

Village United, the team of the third round, after sitting at the foot of the standings for the first two rounds, find themselves between a rock and a hard place in the final game of the round, needing a win against Waterhouse at Drewsland to solidify their claim for sixth spot.

In three meetings with Sporting Central this season, Village lost once, 2-0 at Brancourt, and drew their other two games 0-0.

Should both teams draw their respective games tomorrow and are sole contenders for sixth spot, Sporting would enter Wednesday with the advantage by virtue of their second round victory over Village.

However, Sporting should not get too comfortable as they too face a potentially tough match against August Town at the University of the West Indies, where they lost 2-1 in the second round.

Should Village go down at Waterhouse and Sporting lose at August Town, even in the event of a draw for both teams, victories for St Georges or Seba could turn the league on its head entering Wednesday's final set of games.

Meanwhile, the teams at the foot of the standings, Arnett Gardens and Reno sharing 32 points, two ahead of August Town, have no chance of making sixth place and are strictly playing, from here on, to avoid relegation.

At least one coach, Dominic Spaulding of last-place August Town, has vowed to lift his team from the foot of the table before the fourth round starts.

"We're at the bottom in the Premier League, but we will do much better in the fourth round," Spaulding said after his team was booted out of the COK Champions Cup after a 1-0 loss at Waterhouse on Wednesday.

"I believe that after the two games left in this round, we will be off the bottom," he vowed, a promise, which makes their match-up with Sporting Central potentially explosive tomorrow.