3 March 2011
It will be bottom hosting top when JUTH tackle Dolphin this weekend as the Nigeria Premier League gathers more steam.
JUTH are rooted to the foot of the 20-team table with 12 points from 17 matches, while Dolphin are 25 points clear of the Jos team.
JUTH are battling to stay up after they won promotion from the lower tier at the end of last season.
Coach Tunde Abdulrahman, who guided De Healers back to the top flight, has now been replaced by the Cameroonian, Emmanuel Deutcsh.
We hope to do our best on Saturday against the team on top of the league and the best result for us would be the three points because we have to move out of the relegation zone immediately, said the former Akwa United coach, who resumed work Wednesday.
JUTH lifted their spirits with a 1-0 home win over champions Enyimba recently and with the bottom four teams separated by a mere three points, the relegation dog fight is really too close to call.
Dolphin, on the other hand, have won the league title twice as Eagles Cement FC and at the weekend, they stayed on course for a third championship by forcing Shooting Stars to a 1-1 draw in Abeokuta.
We have been doing well and I believe that we re on the right path because we are still on top of the table. With hard work I believe we will sustain our good run and go on to win the championship. This is our collective target, Dolphin coach, Stanley Eguma, told MTNFootball.com.
We all have been working as a family and we hope to carry on till the end of the season when we hope to emerge champions.
Continuity has been the secret behind the Dolphin surge this term with Eguma in charge of the Port Harcourt outfit for the past three years.
Scoring goals looked like it would slow them down but striker Derek Amadi has hit form at the right time as he has fired three goals in the last three matches, including the match winner at Zamfara United.
Second-placed Sunshine Stars are also away at another struggling club Crown FC in Ilaro this weekend.
Crown are third from bottom with 14 points and will be under pressure to turn back star-studded Sunshine Stars so as pull out from the drop zone.
Another relegation-threatened team, Zamfara United received probably their biggest boost of the season after the NPL approved they could resume playing their home games at their fortress of the Sani Sardauna Memorial Stadium in Gusau from the second round of the season.
Over the years, Zamfara have owed their continued stay in the top flight to their invincibility at this arena and so having to play their home matches at Kano Pillars
Stadium this season has taken a lot away from them.
The Gusau club are away at Kwara United this weekend and on Wednesday they host Sunshine Stars at the Kano Pillars Stadium in a rescheduled Week 18 match, which was re-arranged after Zamfara were attacked by armed robbers on their way to match.
In other matches on Saturday, Tornadoes tackle Enyimba, Sharks welcome Enugu Rangers and Gombe clash with Plateau United.
The following day, Warri Wolves square up against 3SC, Kaduna United battle Bukola Babes, Heartland play Ocean Boys in Owerri and Lobi Stars will have Kano Pillars as guests.
Rescheduled Week 11 Matches
Saturday
JUTH vs Dolphin
Tornadoes vs Enyimba
Kwara United vs Zamfara
Sharks vs Enugu Rangers
Gombe vs Plateau Utd
Sunday
Warri Wolves vs 3SC
Kaduna Utd vs Bukola Babes
Crown vs Sunshine Stars
Heartland vs Ocean Boys
Lobi Stars vs Kano Pillars
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