Jabloteh survive to draw.
By: Ian Prescott (Express).[/size]
Defending champions CLICO San Juan Jabloteh took some time to get into form, survived pressure early on and only scored their first goal against the run of play. But halfway through yesterday's T&T Pro League clash away to Joe Public, the champs were comfortably ahead by a pair of goals, before their opponents rallied in the second half to grab a 2-2 draw yesterday at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya.
Things turned around so drastically in the second half that Englishman Terry Fenwick, Jabloteh's shrewd coach, was forced to bring on a defender to replace goal-scorer Gason Gregory in the final five minutes. In the end, Jabloteh barely escaped with a point. Home team Joe Public settled first and speedy Guyanese winger Gregory Richardson had their first chance to score, in the seventh minute, when forcing Jabloteh keeper Cleon John to turn away an angled shot.
While Jabloteh continued to blood young players, Joe Public had a familiar look to their line-up, with regulars such as Arnold Dwarika, Dale Saunders, Lyndon "Chubby" Andrews, and Keyeno Thomas among nine regulars from last season. But the Eastern Lions also started two new recruits, the Jamaican pair of Kevin Lamey and Irvinor English from the Waterhouse club.
Lamey almost had his first T&T Pro League goal in the 16th minute, when running onto Richardson's through ball and chipping the ball unto the Jabloteh crossbar. But, just two minutes later, Antiguan Gregory (18th) put Jabloteh ahead with a goal against the run of play.
Speedy Gregory caught most of the Eastern Lions looking for an offside call as he headed Willis Plaza's straight pass over stranded keeper Alejandro Figueroa. Once behind, Joe Public lost the midfield dominance they had held and Peter Byers gave Jabloteh a second goal in the 38th minute when benefitting from a defensive mix-up and haitting a low shot inside the far post.
A double change at the half gave Joe Public more punch up front and they were back in the game at at 2-1 in the 70th minute, when substitute Jair Lopez turned in Silas Spann's teasing cross. Jabloteh keeper John then turned Kareem Joachim's shot onto the crossbar as Joe Public turned up the pressure. And in the 80th the Eastern Lions deservedly pulled level at 2-2 when Kerry Baptiste curled Richardson's pass wide of the Jabloteh keeper. Jabloteh only just survived the final stages in which Joe Public were all over them.
YESTERDAY'S T&T PRO LEAGUE RESULTS:
Caledonia AIA 1 (Kendall Velox 58) v W Connection 0
Defence Force 0 v North East Stars 1 (Akeil Guevara 21)
Joe Pubic 2 (Jair Lopez Saldaņa 70, Kerry Baptiste 81) v San Juan Jabloteh 2 (Gason Gregory 18, Peter Byers 39)
Ma Pau SC 2 (Selwyn Isaacs 31-own-goal, Christian Freitas 68) v Tobago United 2 (Collie Hercules 63, Garth Woodley 80)
United Petrotrin 1 (Belville Joseph 86) v St Ann's Rangers 0
