Defence Force held goalless.
By: Lasana Liburd (Express).
Tobago make point.
Tobago United, the 2006 T&T Pro League table-propers, enjoyed only sporadic opportunities to make an impression against their counterparts since joining the domestic professional set-up.
Yesterday, Tobago made another point at the Hasely Crawford Stadium as the visiting team held Defence Force goalless. It is the second successive clean sheet for coach Peter Granville's men who also managed a shut out in a 0-0 finish against United Petrotrin on the sister isle last Saturday.
Tobago deserved their encore yesterday but there was little for neutrals to savour from the fixture.
The visitors were compact, committed and disciplined but never inspired and rarely threatening. Defence Force was no better and it has been typical of the club's fare thus far this season.
Elsewhere, Vibe CT105 W. Connection failed to shake off a 2-0 weekend loss to defending champs, Joe Public, as the "Savonetta Boys" were held goalless by North East Stars.
It meant that Petrotrin's 2-0 win over Caledonia AIA was the only triumph of the early evening games, while CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh and Joe Public were in action last night against Superstar Rangers and Police, respectively.
Sylvester Teesdale and Kelvin Hernandez scored within a two-minute burst, midway through the first half, as Petrotrin surprised Caledonia to move up two places to seventh spot in the ten-team table.
The Port of Spain result constituted a minor shock, too, but it was not as pleasing on the eye.
Tobago forward Garth Woodley got a decent look at the Defence Force goal area but popped his header over bar, late in the second half, while midfielder Garvin McKenna succumbed to a rush of blood as he blazed over in stoppage time.
Bevon Lewis went close twice for the Army/Coast Guard combination but it was only in the final eight minutes that the "Teteron Boys" began to draw weapons and they never looked like breaking the civilian resistance.
Team captain Anton Pierre remains solid at the back but his explosive forward surges are a rarity these days and Defence Force coach Kerry Jamerson surely needs an offensive spark.
In the 84th minute, Defence Force substitute Jahvon Neptune collected the ball on a break but spun three times before he was stripped by Tobago left back Tichard Joseph. It was the type of slow thinking and dodgy decision-making that has undermined their campaign this season and must be especially difficult for technical director Hutson Charles and Jamerson-both once accomplished international midfielders-to endure. They have seven days before their next combat situation against Jabloteh at the same venue.
