Stars shoot past Connection.
With: Joel Villafana.[/size]
North East Stars scored a narrow 1-0 win over defending Pro League Champions W Connection at the Sangre Grande Recreation Ground and remained in contention to make a strong challenge for the League title this season. In the same breath, the ‘Stars’ would have hurt the Champions chances of successfully retaining their title.
The ‘Grande Men’ broke a three game losing streak and got the decisive item in the 46th minute, when Stokley Mason hit a long range shot that rebounded off a defender and Howard Lowe was on spot to capitalize and he cracked a powerful shot from close range pass the W Connection custodian in goal—North East taking a 1-0 lead.
It remained that way down to the very end, but before the final whistle—there was some controversy—as W Connection got the ball in the back of the net and as soon as they began celebrating—the referee disallowed the goal, ruling the ball never crossed the line.
The Connection effort came from Christopher Harvey in the 90th minute of the encounter—the ball hit the underside of the bar and appeared to have bounced over the line—Harvey grabbed the ball and began celebrating only to be stopped in his tracks by referee Shane Da Silva. The Jamaican protested vigorously and was eventually red carded by referee Da Silva.
North East Stars coming away with the full share of the points and staying in 3rd place behind Jabloteh and Joe Public—but now the ‘Boys from Sangre Grande’ are on 34 points just one behind Public and two adrift from the leaders Jabloteh. W Connection finds themselves back in 4th losing further ground on 28 points.
At the Larry Gomes Stadium, Neal and Massy Caledonia AIA Fire edged Tobago United 1-0 in a pretty even contest. Caledonia got the lone item in the 67th when Anthony Thompson headed the ‘Men from Morvant into the lead.
While in the 2nd match of a double header—Superstar Rangers winning streak continues, as they got past Defence Force 2-1. Rangers took the lead in minute 36—with a long range direct free kick from Milton Gomez. The Army responded in similar fashion—with a direct free kick of their own in the 44th minute from Christian Baptiste. But in the 75th Errol Mc Farlene converted a penalty to give the St.Anns based unit maximum points.
Yesterdays Results.
Caledonia AIA Fire 1 (Anthony Thompson 67) vs Tobago United 0.
Defence Force 1 (Christian Baptiste 44) vs Superstar Rangers 2 (Milton Gomez 36, Errol Mc Farlene 75-pen).
North East Stars 1 (Howard Lowe 46) vs W Connection 0.
Saturday News.
Jabloteh & Connection reserves to be tested.
By: Joel Villafana.[/size]
CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh, Vibe CT 105 W Connection, Neal and Massy Caledonia AIA Fire and Joe Public have been all hit by national selection and will have to dig deep and field some of their reserves this weekend as the T&T Pro League continues.
Jabloteh have been hit the worse, as seven of their players have been called to national duty for Trinidad and Tobago’s friendly international against Japan on August 9, 2006.
Jabloteh will take on United Petrotrin on Saturday in the second game of a double header at the Ato Boldon Stadium and will certainly be tested—as they will be without, the likes of Aurtis Whitley, Anthony Wolfe, Cyd Gray, Trent Noel, big defenders Keyeno Thomas and Ian Gray as well as Glenton Wolfe.
The San Juan Kings head coach Terry Fenwick is not too pleased, the former English international confessed, "The absentees are key to our team, but we have been grooming a good crop of youngsters and they will be surely anxious to shine," he said, "its going to be quite difficult, but its something we have to deal with."
Petrotrin will obviously favor themselves too come away with something from this encounter, and the ‘Oilmen’ will be encouraged with their 2-1 victory over North East Stars in the last game and will also reflect on their goalless draw with Jabloteh when they met earlier in the season, but the boys from San Juan will want to ensure they take away maximum points to stay top of the table.
The first game at the Ato Boldon Stadium will see Starworld Strikers challenging the ‘Eastern Lions’ of Joe Public—these two teams have not been hit hard by national call ups, both outfits just losing one player each.
Starworld have lost their number one goalkeeper in young Marvin Phillips, while Public will have to do without the services of the speedy and experienced striker Gary Glasgow.
Starworld continues to have a roller coaster season so far, the Clint Marcelle coached unit are coming off a surprise 3-1 win over Caledonia AIA Fire, but that victory came off the heels of a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of the Defence Force.
Starworld were also soundly beaten 3-1 by Joe Public when they met in the League—so the 2nd placed ‘Eastern Lions’ will he hoping to triumph here in order to maintain the pressure on Jabloteh.
On Sunday, the feature match will be a clash at the Sangre Grande Recreation Ground, where North East Stars will host W Connection.
This is a battle of 3rd and 4th place—with only three points separating the two teams—Connection will be without two of their key midfielders this season in Andre Pacheco and Clyde Leon, as well as their number one goalkeeper Jan Michael Williams and their most experienced defender David Atiba Charles.
The Connection outfit is already a youthful and inexperienced one and will certainly have a challenge to stave off a North East Stars outfit who are aiming to rebound after suffering three consecutive losses—the ‘Stars’ will be at home and will not want to disappoint their adoring fans.
Connection’s technical director Stuart Charles Fervier says, "It will definitely affect us, we will be without four of our starters, and we also have some injuries to some of the other experienced players in the squad, so we will be very thin as a squad, however, we are a team made of character, we did not get to be the most successful club in the league by guess, it had a lot to do with our strength and our character."
The St. Lucian born coach added, "We will pull together as a group and deal with what is before us and I am very optimistic that the young players in the squad will stand up and counted."
Sunday’s action is rounded off with a double header at the Larry Gomes Stadium, where Caledonia AIA will face Tobago United in the first match.
Coach Jamal Shabbazz will be without striker Kendall Jagdeosingh and hard working midfielder Stephan David, both players receiving a national senior call for the first time in their careers.
The 2nd match will feature an out and out battle between two of the league’s most rugged teams in Defence Force and Superstar Rangers. The last time these two teams met the Army came away narrow 1-0 winners.
Saturday 5 August, 2006
Starworld Strikers vs Joe Public—Ato Boldon Stadium—5p.m.
Jabloteh vs United Petrotrin—Ato Boldon Stadium—7p.m.
Sunday 6 August, 2006
Caledonia AIA Fire vs Tobago United—Larry Gomes Stadium—4p.m.
Defence Force vs Superstar Rangers—Larry Gomes Stadium—6p.m.
North East Stars vs W Connection—Sangre Grande Rec. Ground—4p.m.
