JOE PUBLIC inched closer to the top spot in the Bmobile National Super League after crushing lowly M&M Harvard 4-1 in Match Day 23 action.
Midfielder Sterling O’Brian, a member of the national Under-17 team at the 2001 FIFA World Championships here in Trinidad and Tobago, got the winner for the Army-Coast Guard combination in the 35th minute.
The “Eastern Lions” Joe Public piled on the pressure on WASA with a convincing display at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Tunapuna.
Former national midfielder and captain Travis Mulraine broke the deadlock for the hosts on the half-hour mark, while Brent Antoine doubled the lead a minute later.
Antoine went on to complete a hat-trick, with items in the 61st and 70th, while Glen Walker got a consolation strike for Harvard in the 71st.
The Trinidad and Tobago Under-20 stayed in third place after cruising past Club Sando 3-1 in the second match of the double-header at Tunapuna.
Strikers Jamal Gay (third and 75th) and Jamal Clarence (40th) were on target for the national youth squad, while Tyrell Gabriel notched the lone item for Club Sando. ALCOA Carenage United slipped from second to fourth spot after going under to Harlem Strikers 4-2 at Frederick Settlement, Caroni.
Kelon Williams (31st), Lorenzo King (36th), Marvin Alfred (70th) and Adrian Narine (77th) got their names on the scoresheet for the hosts, while Everald Hosten (13th) and Akil Glasgow (60th) replied for Carenage.
Jared Harry scored twice, in the 46th and 75th, as Crab Connection whipped Economy Strikers 2-0 at the San Juan Secondary Comprehensive Ground. St Francois Nationals, as expected, took full points in their clash against the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), by a 5-2 margin, at the Youth Camp, Chaguaramas.
Keron Edwards (15th and 20th), Ian Christmas (32nd), Marlon Bowen (46th) and Robert Gomez (73rd) found the back of the net for St Francois while UTT’s goals came from Brenton Bain (10th) and an own goal (83rd). League action will continue on Sunday.
Current standings:
Pl W D L F A Pts
WASA 19 12 4 3 60 22 40
Joe Public 19 12 3 4 48 30 39
National U-20 17 10 5 2 40 19 35
Carenage 18 11 2 5 28 25 35
Phoenix 16 9 4 3 36 20 31
Economy Strikers 19 9 2 8 29 43 29
Club Sando 19 9 1 9 42 35 28
Defence Force 18 7 3 8 36 26 24
St Francois 19 6 2 11 29 41 20
Crab Connection 17 5 4 8 26 29 19
Harlem 18 6 1 11 23 33 19
Harvard 18 5 2 11 23 36 17
UTT 19 0 1 18 8 69 1