New bmobile Joe Public coach Derek King enjoyed a successful start to his tenure yesterday as the "Eastern Lions" thrashed St Ann's Rangers 6-0 at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya to leap from seventh to fourth in the T&T Pro League.
The result flattered Rangers, too, as Nelson and Wolfe struck the upright while Calderon had an effort overruled for offside and King had the luxury of resting his two strikers with 15 minutes remaining and Public five goals clear.
Rangers are now seventh in the standings and, on current form, are unlikely to force their way into the post-season Lucozade Big Six competition. Coach Anthony Streete's men have not won a league fixture since September and they never looked like halting their slump yesterday against a Public team deprived of Gregory Richardson, Arnold Dwarika, Keyeno Thomas and Seon Power due to international commitments.
If Rangers chairman Richard Fakoory refused to pay match fees on the grounds that his team did not show up in Macoya, he would have a strong case.
Streete used Grenadian playmaker Ricky Charles in central defence while utility player Joseph Peters came off the bench and striker Keyon Edwards and goalkeeper Shane Mattis remained in reserve. Whether those adjustments were tactical or enforced, they were certainly ineffective.
Charles looked ordinary in the back as the Rangers defence failed to cope with Nelson's strength and the stocky, bustling Jamaican helped himself to two items before the interval.
Only Public's right side midfielder Kerry Noray could claim to have expertly executed his duties in the first half but Rangers wilted after Nelson's third goal, which came from the penalty spot after a foul on Baptiste. It was only a question of how many Rangers would concede after that. And Wolfe, Baptiste and Calderon answered with assured finishes while ex-national midfielder Lyndon Andrews buzzed in central midfield.