League positions still uncertain

With an average of just three games outstanding across the board, it is still too early to say who will be going in which slots in this year’s Barbados Football Association’s Digicel Premier League. 

 

The race at the top sees last year’s second-placed University of the West Indies Blackbirds poised to dethrone three-time defending champions, Barbados Defence Force Sports Programme, while Clayton’s Kola Tonic Notre Dame and the newly-promoted Phone Repair Medic Inc. Belfield and Empire Club are all fighting to avoid being relegated with Lumisol Technologies Inc. Pinelands.

 

The Blackbirds are up front at present with 36 points after winning 12 of their 15 games. The soldiers, however, have not yet given up their hopes of an unprecedented fourth-straight win, and have 35 points to show from 11 wins and two draws in the same 15 games. After beating out the then debutantes, UWI, on goal-difference last year, should it come down to that, the situation could very well play out in similar fashion. Currently, the university team have a goal-difference of 23 from scoring 39 and conceding 16. On the other hand, the Sports Programme have scored 46 and given up 13 to stand on a difference of 33.

 

Having their best season in recent times, Direct TV Paradise are in at third place on 31 points. On the same 15 games as the majority of the field, the Dover-based teams have nine wins and four draws to show for their efforts. Weymouth Wales are next and have had an up-and-down campaign this year. They have racked up 28 points from eight wins and four draws. Mackeson Brittons Hill close out the top-five with 20 points off an even split of five wins, five draws and five losses.

 

Rendezvous have played 14 games and their losses carry the same weight as their wins and draws combined. They have 19 points compliments of six wins and a draws while their other seven games provided points for other teams.

 

The fight to stay in the top-tier begins at seventh place as Belfield, Empire and Notre Dame have all played just 14 games. Belfield have 13 points from four wins and a draw after their first time in the premier league. Empire, who were back after an absence for a few years, may be headed back out if they cannot get their act together. They have just 12 points from three wins and three draws. The Dames are currently in the red on 11 points from three wins and two draws.

 

Pinelands are the only team whose destiny is sure as they are staring Division 1 in the face. They have no wins recorded in 15 games and only two points to show for two draws.

 

The league is slated to continue today at the Wildey Astro Turf after last weekend’s games were postponed due to water outages in the area. The Dames go up against Paradise at 6:30 PM while Pinelands take on Belfield at 8:30 PM. A triple-header is scheduled for tomorrow with Empire and Wales kicking things off at 4:00 PM. Blackbirds and Brittons Hill have a date at 6:00 PM, while the feature match-up goes to the Sports Programme and Rendezvous at 8:00 PM.