Sliema McDonald's and Sirens Hard Rock Café will be bidding to turn up the heat on leaders Neptunes Vodafone as the race for the 2007 Wilkinson Sword League title enters a potentially crucial phase this weekend.
After 11 matches played, only three points separate the top three teams in the standings with Neptunes (19) enjoying a two-point advantage over Sliema with Sirens just behind in third place on 16 points.
This evening, Sliema are expected to move alongside Neptunes in first place, provided they overcome the challenge of San Giljan Zara.
Last week, the Blues managed to stay in the title hunt after holding Neptunes to a four-all draw. Igor Gocanin's men put up a brave fight against their fiercest rivals and, emboldened by an excellent defensive display, they put an end to a disappointing run of two straight defeats.
Their task this evening is expected to be far from easy as they tackle a San Giljan side who have shown that, on their day, they can make life difficult for the more-fancied teams.
Sliema have first-hand experience of San Giljan's threat after finishing on the wrong end of an 11-10 defeat to the Saints last month, a result that threw the title race wide open.
The Blues will certainly be wary of the danger posed by the likes of Marco Cuk and Matthew Zammit as they seek to keep their title charge alive.
Victory over San Giljan will boost Sliema's prospects, especially in view of the fact that the other two title contenders, Neptunes and Sirens, face off in tomorrow's main match.
The St Paul's Bay team have a great opportunity to drag themselves back into the reckoning for the title with a victory against the defending champions.
Pierre Borg's Sirens have yet to beat Neptunes this season. In June, they lost their Preliminary Round match 9-8, with the Reds netting a dramatic winner with six seconds left.
Last month, Sirens again came a cropper when losing to the Balluta Bay team 9-5.
Sirens will surely be aware that they cannot afford to start the match on a slow gear as they did against San Giljan last week. In fact, the Saints only pulled clear of their opponents in the closing stages with three goals late in the last session.
Although they start as favourites, Neptunes too must raise their game. Against Sliema, Sergio Afric's men squandered too many man-up sets and such wastefulness could prove costly against opponents of Sirens' calibre.
Today: U-19 5 p.m. Neptunes vs Sirens. Division Two 6.15 p.m. Exiles vs Marsaxlokk. Division One 7.30 p.m. San Giljan vs Sliema.
Tomorrow: U-19 4.30 p.m. Sliema vs Exiles. Division Two 5.45 p.m. Marsascala vs Otters. Division One 7 p.m. Neptunes vs Sirens.