Mc Farlane double punishes ‘Grande Stars'
By: Randy Bando (ttproleague).[/size]
A pair of second half goals by striker Errol Mc Farlane secured a 4-1 win for Superstar Rangers over the North East Stars in TT Pro League round 24 action.
It was the second match of a double header at the Larry Gomes Stadium and the St. Anns based unit started slowly, but took control of the game in the second half with three goals— two from Captain Mc Farlane and one from Jason Eastman.
North East Stars was the first on target when in the 4th minute Shandel Samuel lashed on to a wayward back pass by the Rangers midfield and played it wide to Oneke Ford. Samuel then found space in the 18 yard to volley home Ford’s cross past keeper Edward Bernard.
One minute later Superstar Rangers was close to equalizing when defender Milton Gomez saw his 25 yard free kick rebound off the upright on to keeper Mattis’ back and into play.
Gomez had his second well struck free saved again by a low diving Sean Mattis in the 10th minute from 30 yards out.
In the 18th minute Rangers got their equalizer after Kerwyn Jemmott made a daring run across North East penalty area, found an unmarked Sean Christmas who blasted a left footed shot that slammed into the far post before hitting the back of the net.
The Sangre Grande team continued to out play Rangers in midfield and took control of the first half. Strikers Samuel and Oneke Ford combined well in front knocking some neat passes but failing to capitalize. Midfielder Kendall Velox also came close with a few chances but directed his few attempts straight at keeper Bernard.
The ‘St Anns boys’ had a fair amount of possession in midfield with players like Ricardo Aleong, Jason Eastman, Sean Christmas and Kerwyn Jemmott all combing well.
Both teams took to the dressing rooms leveled at 1-1 on the halftime whistle.
North East came out in same attacking style in the second period with Shandell Samuel running at the Rangers defence.
But the tides turned from the 56th minute when Mc Farlane who had no previous shots on goal, barged through defenders Howard Lowe and Vernon Bailey to toe punch a Sean Christmas cross past keeper Mattis who stood shell shocked sending the score 2-1.
The game continued to be a battle for possession with Rangers coming out with the bulk in midfield.
Midfielder Jason Eastman sunk the hopes of North East when he tried a tame shot from 25 yards out and saw keeper Mattis attempted push over bar resulting in a goal and putting the score at 3-1 in the 63rd minute.
In the 68th minute North East striker Samuel did well to react on an Oneke Ford flick on to slot it past keeper Bernard, but the referee called offside and the goal was disallowed.
The ‘Grande Boys’ continued to attack and had three consecutive chances by Jamaican striker Oneke Ford, first in the 69th when his 20-yard free kick scrapped just outside the upright. He also volleyed two shots high from close range in the 76th and 78th minutes.
Mc Farlane then put the game out of reach 4-1 when he received a gift in the 6 yard area just one minute to from time and he knocked in Josimar Belgrave’s corner to double his tally.
The striker almost got to his hattrick on the stroke of time but pushed his shot just off the upright.
The ‘St Anns boys’ holding on to their sixth spot with 33points and North East failing to close the gap on front-runners while Caledonia sits just one point behind them in fifth spot.
Teams
Superstar Rangers[/b] – Edward Bernard (gk), Sean Christmas (Todd Ryan 82nd), Colin Roberts, Lorne Joseph, Kerwyn Jemmott, Kerwyn Cooper, Jason Eastman, Errol Mc Farlane, Ricardo Aleong (Dean Pacheco 68th), Milton Fabian Correa Gomez, Christon Thomas (Josimar Belgrave 79th).
Coach – Anthony Streete
North East Stars – Shane Mattis (gk), Davidson Neptune, Howard Lowe, Jesse Martinez, Kendall Velox (John Stewart 71st), Oneke Ford (Kenwin Matthew 82nd), Sean Mason (Marc Leslie 46th), Stokley Mason, Shandell Samuel, Vernon Bailey, Walter Moore.
Technical Advisor – Everald Cummings
Match Referee – Ishmael Mohammed
SUPERSTAR RANGERS v NORTH EAST STARS
4 GOALS 1
1 YELLOW CARDS 0
0 RED CARDS 0
3 SHOTS ON TARGET 3
12 FOULS 15
2 CORNERS 7
2 OFFSIDES 2
North East looks ahead to First Citizens semi-final.
...despite a 4-1 league loss.
By: Randy Bando. (ttproleague).[/size]
North East Stars were on the losing end, going down 4-1 to Superstar Rangers on Tuesday in the TT Pro League round 24 match at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar. However, the Sangre Grande camp is eagerly looking forward to their First Citizens Cup semi-final on Friday at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium.
The ‘Sangre Grande Boys’ got an early goal in the 4th minute from Vincentian striker Shandell Samuel but failed to keep that lead—Superstar Rangers fired back to come away 4-1 winners thanks to an Errol Mc Farlene double.
Technical Advisor of North East Everald Cummings told ‘TT Pro League Media’, "We weren’t at full strength, missing the heart of our defense with players like Charles Pollard, Akeno Morgan and Kayode Mc Kinnon who were on card suspensions. I had to reconstruct the defence in this short space of time."
"We scored a brilliant early goal and failed to use that at our advantage. Since I’ve been here, just two weeks there has been a goalkeeper coaching problem and the administrators have to take a serious look into this. I been told that this keeper have been making mistakes long before I came here. This has a lot to do with our results against Superstar Rangers." said ‘Gally’.
North East will face Starworld Strikers on Friday in a semi final match of the First Citizens Cup at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Couva.
‘Gally" who was affiliated with the San Fernando based Starworld says, "It’s always going to be a difficult match when you have to play against your old team and I think that they are having their best ever First Citizens Cup run at the moment.
"At the moment we are fourth on the League standings and I’ll like to maintain that position or even go into a higher position. We are really focusing on the knockout competitions like the First Citizens Cup, Lucozade Sport Big Six and the Toyota Classic and we want to start with taking home the First Citizens Cup.
"We are going out there to play strong, intelligent football and use our chances to capitalize on goals against the ‘Starworld’ and then to the finals." ended the former national coach.
The captain of North East Stars, Charles Pollard who missed their last League game eagerly awaits the semi final clash against Starworld.
Pollard told ‘TT Pro League Media’, "Despite Starworld is down at the bottom of the League standings, I believe it still going to be a very tough game, but I know our boys will rise to the occasion."
"We are going to score goals, but our main weakness that we will be working on would be to avoid conceding easy goals. We have a new coaching staff including ‘Gally’ and it would take some time to implement new things. I am confident that the coaches will get the job done in departments that are failing."
"We are also taking every game as a final in the league competition to boost our position as close to the top as possible. Our 4-1 loss didn’t dampen the team’s spirits in anyway and we are confident we will be in the finals and even take home the First Citizens Cup." ended the North East skipper.
