WITH four games left to go in their 2023/24 TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) campaign, Miscellaneous Police FC moved to the top of the 11-team table with a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory against Caledonia at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo on Wednesday night.
Police FC moved up to 34 points from 16 games, placing them one point above former league leaders AC PoS, who have played a total of 15 games and were dealt their second loss of the season on Wednesday.
Three of the four top teams in the TTPFL featured in the Hasely Crawford double-header, and Police left it extremely late against Caledonia to get three points in the opening match.
Caledonia took the lead in the 58th minute through their talisman and TTPFL top-scorer Kevon “Showtime” Woodley, who grabbed his 13th goal of the campaign when he sent Police skipper Adrian Foncette the wrong way with a penalty.
The eighth-placed Caledonia team appeared to be edging towards a win, but Police stole the opposition team’s joy late on through contributions from Alvin Jones, substitute Kareem Freitas, and a touch of good luck.
The bombarding Jones found defender Robert Primus with a searching cross from the right flank in the 88th minute, and Freitas slid in a right-footed shot from close range to tie the scores at 1-1.
Four minutes later, Police again found favor from a devious right-side cross from Jones, as a Caledonia defender inadvertently turned the ball into the net to give the lawmen all three points at the death.
Police’s win took them past AC PoS on the TTPFL table before the latter team clashed with reigning champions Defence Force in the second game of the doubleheader. By the end of 90 minutes in the tense affair, Army were standing tall in Mucurapo as they blanked the “Capital Boys” by a 2-0 margin to get a deserved victory.
Both teams lacked quality and fluidity in a mostly pedestrian first half, with the best chance arguably falling to Defence Force midfielder Jamell Cooper, who sprayed an effort wide of goal in the ninth minute after receiving a precise pass from the left flank.
AC PoS also fashioned a decent chance in the 31st minute through Sedale McLean, but custodian Christopher Biggette made a save away to his right to preserve the goalless scoreline.
Tempers flared toward the end of the first half when players from both teams squared up in the AC PoS’ penalty area following a set piece. However, referee Andrew Samuel kept his cards to himself.
Defence Force started brightly in the second half, and they sent an early warning shot to AC PoS in the 51st minute when Shaquille Bertrand shot over the bar after cutting in from the left.
In the 55th minute, Bertrand made a more telling contribution on a swift counter-attack as he squared for fellow flanker Kendell Hitlal, who beat retired Soca Warriors goalie Marvin Phillip with a precise right-footed shot to give Army a 1-0 lead.
Just four minutes later, Cooper spurned a great one-on-one chance when he shot straight at Phillip after being played through on goal by Brent Sam. Defence Force survived a scare of their own just past the hour-mark as Biggette made a fine save to keep out a firm shot from substitute John-Paul Rochford.
Biggette’s save proved to be a timely one in the encounter, as the Army put the game to bed in clinical fashion in the 80th minute when attacker Dylon King stylishly passed his shot into the net at the end of a rapid counter involving fellow substitute Isaiah Leacock. Army’s win took them up to third spot and pushed them to 30 points from 16 matches – four points adrift of new table-toppers Police.
At the Arima Velodrome, Eagles FC (16 points) got their fourth win of the season when they stunned Terminix La Horquetta Rangers (24 points) 4-3 courtesy a brace from Joshua Alexander.
In the other encounter at the Velodrome, Heritage Petroleum Point Fortin Civic (23 points) moved up to sixth spot on the table with a 1-0 win over Prisons FC (21 points).
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