Referees spice Pro League opener.
... Public hold D/Force.
By: Lasana Liburd (Express).
United Petrotrin striker Jerol Forbes, Economy North East Stars winger Sean Cooper, Defence Force forward Devon Jorsling and Joe Public attacker Kerry Baptiste, among many, traveled to Malabar’s Larry Gomes Stadium on Saturday evening intent on impressing an audience that included present Trinidad and Tobago national football team coach Francisco Maturana.
There was enough to appreciate too in the opening round of 2008 Pro League fixtures at the venue, which saw Petrotrin emerge 3-1 victors over Stars while Public fought to a 1-1 tie with the army/ coast guard combination.
But there were numerous talking points offered by the men in the middle as well as both encounters endured some farcical moments.
Referee Phillip Jordan, in the curtain raiser, ruled over three infringements around either 18-yard box but only one foul that occurred outside the area resulted in a penalty kick. Unfortunately for Stars and debutante coach Ken Elie, the contentious penalty was converted with aplomb by Petrotrin right wing back Kennedy Hinkson in the 32nd minute and separated two teams that appeared evenly matched, up until then, on the passage of play.
Five minutes later, Forbes doubled their advantage with a smashing left footed effort past Stars goalkeeper and former Petrotrin employee Tristan Charles and sagging Stars’ chins lowered further when the 2001 Under-17 World Cup player made it 3-0 after another storming run. By then, the Colombian contingent were enquiring about the quick, robust frontman.
Jordan cannot be blamed for Stars’ fragile defending or lack of nerve, once behind. But Elie would feel aggrieved that the referee, after delivering a debatable spot kick in the first half, not only ignored a trip by Petrotrin defender Makan Hislop on the foraging Cooper, inside the area, but even booked the incensed attacker for simulation.
Stars defender and captain Anthony Haynes responded with a forearm to Hernandez’s throat, within seconds, that Jordan failed to spot. But emotions eventually settled and Petrotrin even had the grace to permit a consolation goal for another old boy and Stars’ pre-season signing, Sylvester Teesdale, via some sloppy defending.
Referee Lee Davis did not get any of the big decisions wrong in the second fixture, which is to say that none of his perceived errors ended with a goal. Yet his sluggishness in curbing frenzied emotions, particularly during a three minute spell in the second half, might have contributed to the expulsion of Public rookie Shane Calderon.
Last season, Defence Force extinguished Public’s League title hopes with a 1-0 win at Marabella in the penultimate round of matches and they again started brightly against the “Eastern Lions”.
Petrotrin and Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Keon Daniel holds the tag of free kick specialist these days after enhancing his reputation with a brilliant, curling set piece last month in a 1-0 triumph over El Salvador.
The stage on Saturday was not as vaunted but Defence Force forward Devon Jorsling made sure Maturana knew there was more than one educated left foot in domestic competition.
Jorsling’s superb curling effort into the near corner, after a Jason Springer foul on Chris Durity, baffled Public custodian Alejandro Figueroa in the 11th minute.
Jorsling nearly extended their lead, eight minutes later, with an acrobatic volley off an Aklie Edwards cross that prompted a fine save from Figueroa while, in the 27th minute, the Colombian custodian again showed safe hands to deny Army midfielder Anton Joseph.
Public are made of stern stuff though and fashioned an equalizer, eight minutes before the interval, with a clever finish from Baptiste.
The marauding midfielder was one of the League’s brighter lights last year and looks like he will be a nuisance for opponents this term too. Silas Spann’s cross was slightly behind Baptiste but the Public star checked his run slightly to cushion the ball with the outside of his right boot while holding off retreating soldier David Alleyne.
Once Baptiste had full control inside the opposing area, he ushered the sphere past Defence Force goalie Selwyn George as though a mere formality.
There were no more goals in the contest but plenty of endeavour and opportunities. Defence Force striker Bevon Lewis and his replacement, Richard Roy, spurned chances to take maximum points from the affair while Baptiste and new teenage striker Kareem Joachim went close for Public.
But a chaotic patch threatened to spoil the contest and, arguably, Davis might have intervened with a calming word before he flashed the red card at Calderon in the 77th minute.
Baptiste’s composure in possession seemed a personal insult to his opponents and he endured some meaty challenges—not least, a lunge from substitute Corey Rivers that produced a booking within seconds of his introduction. Still, Defence Force coach Kerry Jamerson seemed to suggest that the Trinidad and Tobago international went down too easily in the 75th minute after a tackle from Roy that resulted in a caution for the latter.
Defence Force captain Anton Pierre was also booked for dissent while midfielder Kevon Carter expressed his disgust with a wagging finger in Baptiste’s face. Play had already restarted when Carter, fresh from his verbal battle, joined Alleyne in making Calderon the meat of a crude sandwich.
Davis let the incident pass without censure for the soldiers or an appeal for both teams to keep their heads. Within seconds, Calderon flung an elbow in Alleyne’s direction as the pair contested an aerial ball and the young man was shown red.
Early season fixtures usually betray the rust of the participating players as they get in tune with the challenges presented by the new term. Perhaps the same holds true for match officials.
Sat Pro League Results
San Juan Jabloteh 3 (Peter Byers 7, 25, Trent Noel 20 pen) v Ma Pau 1 (Karlon Murray OG)
W Connection 4 (Andrei Pacheco 20, Douglas Da Costa 40, Kerron Smith 84, Teba McKnight 89) v Tobago United 1 (Collie Hercules 45)
United Petrotrin 3 (Kennedy Hinkson 32 pen, Jerrol Forbes 37, 52) v NE Stars 1 (Sylvester Teesdale 85)
Caledonia AIA 3 (Nigel Codrington 21, 59, Hayden Tinto 69) v St Anns Rangers 3 (Christon Thomas 2, Devon Modeste 61, Keon Edwards 79)
Defence Force 1 ( Devon Jorsling 11) v Joe Public 1 (Kerry Baptiste 37)
