Joe Public thump Petrotrin.
By: Ian Prescott (Express).[/size]
Joe Public put a shadow on playmaker Keon Daniel, and without him, United Petrotrin stalled like a car with a flat tyre. After victories in their opening six matches of the TT Pro League season, Petrotrin have suffered three defeats in succession-the first in the Court Pro Bowl semi-final, and now two in the league.
Since coming out of the recent Pro League break to facilitate the national World Cup qualifier against Bermuda, the previously unbeaten Petrotrin have not managed a victory.
First, newcomers Ma Pau surprised them 2-1 on Tuesday, and on Saturday night, they were also comprehensively beaten 3-1 by "Eastern Lions" Joe Public at the Marvin Lee Stadium. However, Petrotrin's defeat caused no change among the top teams, since leaders CLICO San Juan Jabloteh (20 points) were held to a 3-3 draw by the previously bottom team, Tobago United, despite leading 3-1 in the second half. Petrotrin (18 points) maintained second position, while Joe Public are still third after eight matches, but now closer on 14 points.
Joe Public coach Michael McComie's ploy to stop Daniel worked perfectly because Larry Bacchus frustrated him so much that the Petrotrin central midfielder was flinging elbows to get his marker away. Luckily for him, referee Phillip Jordan failed to pick up on it.
Bacchus' attention forced Daniel to abandon centre midfield and go up front at one point, before he later moved to a wide midfield role. Wherever Daniel went, Bacchus went. And without Daniel in the midfield, T&T striker Jerol Forbes was starved for service up front.
Petrotrin had just two clear chances in the match. First, Colombian goalkeeper Alejandro Figueroa tipped Forbes' shot onto the crossbar in the 37th minute, and later, striker Simeon Augustus turned in a Kevin Hernandez cross in added-on time (90+) for the Oil Squad's only goal on the night. Daniel also went close for Petrotrin on three occasions. But except from dead-ball situations, Petrotrin looked toothless.
Joe Public, who also beat Caledonia AIA 2-1 in mid-week, were the better team on the night. Quick to close down their opponents, they were also the more adventurous team going forward.
Kerry Baptiste put the home team ahead 1-0 in the 10th minute, taking a ball over the top of the defence, composing himself, and ripping his shot over the head of keeper Curtis Granger. Despite the presence of T&T defenders Makan Hislop and Kareem Smith at the back, Petrotrin failed to handle the long passes over the top by Joe Public. And when Jamaican Roen Nelson was found by a similar long ball in the 23rd minute, he showed why he was top scorer in the Jamaican Football League. Collecting the ball, Nelson easily lobbed goalie Granger to give Joe Public a 2-0 advantage.
The Eastern Lions continued to press and central defender Hislop twice headed the ball away from the Petrotrin goal in quick succession when keeper Granger was stranded outside his goal. However, in the 88th minute, Nelson collected a pass from left midfielder Marcelle Francois and hit a bullet into the net to give Joe Public the lead by a 3-0 margin. And by the time Augustus finally scored for Petrotrin in the dying seconds, the match had long before been decided.
