LAST season's Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) runners-up AC PoS will lead all comers in the 2023/24 season heading into the new year, as they consolidated top spot on the 11-team table with a thumping 8-1 win over Central FC at the Diego Martin Sporting Complex on Wednesday.
In the second game of a Diego Martin double-header, the free-flowing AC PoS team notched their fourth successive win in the campaign to go to 12 points – handing Central a fourth straight defeat in the process. AC PoS scored four goals in either half, with substitute Isaiah Leacock helping himself to a double.
AC PoS also got goals from John-Paul Rochford, Sedale McLean, Kadeem Corbin, Brian Armstrong, playmaker Che Benny and defender Liam Burns, who started the scoring in the 15th minute. Burns also walked away with the man-of-the-match award for his impressive performance on the attacking and defensive front.
Last season, AC PoS were pipped to the inaugural league title on the final day of the season after succumbing to a 2-1 loss to eventual champions Defence Force on June 24. Army won the title by a solitary point. As the TTPFL observes a two-week break for the Christmas period, AC PoS are again setting the pace.
In the first game in Diego Martin, Caledonia (six points) moved three spots up to sixth with a 2-0 win over Eagles FC (formerly Cunupia FC). San Juan North Secondary schoolboy and TT youth forward Lindell Sween opened the scoring with a 13th minute penalty. Caledonia's second goal was scored by Tevin Scott in the 73rd minute.
At the Arima Velodrome, Prisons FC (nine points) bounced back from consecutive defeats to Defence Force (3-1) and Police FC (7-0) as they blanked Tobago's Phoenix FC by a 3-0 margin. Prisons striker Ricardo John scored a pair of first-half penalties, with Josiah King netting the other item in the 70th minute to bring Phoenix back down to earth after their heavy 4-0 win over Terminix La Horquetta Rangers in their previous game. Prisons jumped from sixth to third with the win.
At the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, former Soca Warriors captain Joevin Jones brought the house down in the 89th minute when he scored with a rasping left-footed shot from just outside the area to beat goalkeeper Miles Goodman and the Tiger Tanks Club Sando team as Police FC eked out a 1-0 victory. Police remain unbeaten on 11 points and are in second spot behind the perfect AC PoS. Jones aside, the lawmen have several players with international experience such as Joevin's brother Alvin, Keron Cummings, Adrian Foncette, Mekeil Williams and new addition Khaleem Hyland. Thus far, their experience has helped the transformation in the Police team.
Defending champions Defence Force (eight points) dropped points for a second straight game, as a late Brent Sam goal salvaged a 1-1 draw away to Point Fortin Civic (four points) at the Mahaica Sporting Complex in Point Fortin. Civic's goal was scored by 2018 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) MVP Mark Ramdeen. The Army dropped one spot to fourth, with Civic slipping to ninth.
League action will resume on January 3.
TTFPL tier one standings:
Team*GP*W*D*L*GF*GA*GD*Pts
1.AC PoS*4*4*0*0*16*3*13*12
2.Police FC*5*3*2*0*13*3*10*11
3.Prisons FC*5*3*0*2*10*12*-2*9
4.Defence Force FC*5*2*2*1*13*7*6*8
5.Club Sando*4*2*1*1*5*4*1*7
6.Caledonia*4*2*0*2*6*6*0*6
7.La Horquetta Rangers*4*2*0*2*6*8*-2*6
8.Eagles FC*5*1*2*2*5*6*-1*5
9.Point Fortin Civic*4*1*1*2*6*5*1*4
10.1976 FC Phoenix*5*1*0*4*5*14*-9*3
11.Central FC*5*0*0*5*3*20*-17*0
SOURCE: T&T Newsday
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