Shillong, Dec 20 (IANS): In what will be their 10th home match of the season, Shillong Lajong FC will lock horns with Dempo in an Airtel I-League match at the JN Stadium here Saturday.

The Shillong outfit will only have three more matches to play in home conditions once the season resumes in February and need to make them count after some lacklustre performances in their earlier local games.

Out of nine, Lajong have won just two, but that includes their last game -- a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Salgaocar FC.

The Reds then travelled to Goa to beat Churchill Brothers 1-0 before suffering a monumental 1-5 defeat to second-placed Sporting Clube de Goa.

SLFC, who have played 14 matches, are in a commendable fourth place on 20 points and are safe for this week. They can neither overtake or be overtaken by any club on the results of this round.

Dempo, meanwhile, are in ninth spot, with 16 points from 14 games. They moved away from 11th spot with a 1-0 win over Mohun Bagan last week and could move even higher with a victory over their hosts Saturday.

The Goans have already been to Shillong once this season, Oct 4, when they let a 2-0 lead slip against Rangdajied United FC to draw two apiece.

Lajong, meanwhile, will remember the first match of the season, when they surprised everyone by winning 3-0 at Dempo.