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Ato Boldon Stadium, COUVA - Kerry Baptiste registered a hat-trick and two assists to steer Play Whe San Juan Jabloteh to a comfortable 5-0 win over cellar-placed St. Ann's Rangers on Sunday in the first match of a Round Two Match Day Two double header of the Digicel Pro League.



The second match, however, marred by three red cards at the Couva venue, saw nine-man Police FC and ten-man Defence Force battle to a 1-1 draw.

Noel Williams – assisted by a Kaaron Foster pass on the left – snatched the equaliser in the 79th minute for Police. Williams, a utility player, sent a powerful low strike from an acute angle that proved too hot for goalkeeper Sheldon Clarke as it entered at the near post off the gloves to tie the score.

Defence Force, who were denied by the crossbar following a crack from distance by midfielder Jerwyn Balthazar in the 22nd minute, had taken the lead in stoppage time of the first half when forward Richard Roy converted from the penalty spot following a bit of controversy.

Roy, who had spilled wide with goalkeeper Adrian Foncette at his mercy in the 19th minute, thumped the ball with immense power, as to make up for his earlier missed chance, to find the back of the Police net.

Referee Gyasi Mc Donald had disallowed an initial open play goal, calling a foul against Police midfielder Kareem Perry, who was sent off with a direct red card for the incident, and awarding Defence Force the penalty.

Defence Force were also reduced to ten men midway through the second half. Defender Curtis Gonzales was shown his second booking from Mc Donald for a foul on substitute Dexter Alleyne. But Mc Donald wasn’t done showing red yet.

In the 77th minute Mc Donald flashed Police defender Karlon Murray his second yellow card of the match before the red, sending the player off for what he deemed a handball.

Both sides had a couple late tries each, following Williams’ equaliser, including an acrobatic save by Foncette to deny Glynn Franklyn, but the 1-1 scoreline stood at the final whistle, far less the Round One scoreline which ended 4-2 in favour of Defence Force.

In the earlier match Jamaican midfielder Fabian Reid opened the scoring for the "San Juan Kings" in the third minute for a 1-0 advantage with a simple strike past goalkeeper Christopher Biggette following a quick exchange with Baptiste.

Biggette was tested three more times by Jabloteh and did well enough to keep out the efforts by Jevon Morris, Jamaican forward Newton Sterling and Johan Peltier which were placed directly at him.

But on the 32nd minute Baptiste celebrated his first goal of the match, placing the ball out of Biggette's reach and into the far netting for a 2-0 Jabloteh cushion.

Goal scorer F. Reid provided the pass, which was allowed to run to Baptiste inside the right of the area by Sterling.

Rangers, despite being equipped with rising talents Nicholas Dillon (on loan from Central FC) and Trinidad and Tobago Under-20 star Kadeem Corbin, saw the match slip out of reach by the end of the first half.

Sterling then made it 3-0 on the 41st minute with a volley off a pass by midfielder Baptiste that was lifted into the six yard area, two minutes after F. Reid missed out on a second, hitting over bar from a Peltier free kick.

Baptiste, who was denied another item ten minutes into the second half, snatched his second on the 59th minute after controlling a Peltier cross at the edge of the six yard and struck past Biggette and a defender for a 4-0 score.

And to add insult, Baptiste, who scored the lone item in his team’s 1-0 win over Rangers in Round One, completed his hat-trick in the 89th minute by lobbing Biggette from just inside the area to rack up the 5-0 win following a right side pass by substitute Shaquille Bertrand.

With his three goals, Baptiste now leads the 2014-2015 DPL goal scorers' list with 6 goals, tied with Caledonia AIA’s Purnell Schultz and Central FC’s Ataulla Guerra.

The win pushed the Keith Jeffrey coach-Jabloteh two spots up the ladder into fifth place with 13 points, ten points adrift of leaders Central FC (23 points) and four points off defending champions DIRECTV W Connection, North East Stars and Defence Force, all with 17 points in descending order at the end of Round Two Match Day Two.

Police remained in eight place, with 11 points as Caledonia and Point Fortin Civic in ascending order, while Rangers are rock bottom with just one point.

The Digicel Pro League action resumes on Tuesday 27 January with Round Two Match Day Three at three venues. The Ato Boldon Stadium will host a double header with North East Stars against defending champions W Connection from 6 pm before Caledonia AIA meets leaders Central FC from 8 pm.

Point Fortin Civic will kick off the day when they host San Juan Jabloteh from 3:30 pm at the Mahaica Oval.

And Police FC will also boast home advantage on the weekday when they welcome St. Ann's Rangers from 6 pm at the St. James Barracks.

Round Two Match Day Two results

St. Ann’s Rangers 0 vs San Juan Jabloteh 5 (Fabian Reid 3', Kerry Baptiste 32', 59', 89', Newton Sterling 41')

Police FC 1 (Noel Williams 79') vs Defence Force 1 (Richard Roy 45'+)

Upcoming matches - Tuesday 27 January 2015

Mahaica Oval, Point Fortin
Point Fortin Civic vs San Juan Jabloteh—3.30 pm

St. James Barracks
Police FC vs St. Ann’s Rangers—6 pm

Ato Boldon Stadium
North East Stars vs W Connection—6 pm
Caledonia AIA vs Central FC—8 pm

Teams

St. Ann’s Rangers: 22.Christopher Biggette; 3.Al Davidson, 4.Jelani Peters (C), 8.Sedale Mc Lean, 9.Keron Cornwall, 11.Joseh Toussaint (44.Shaquille Williams 61st), 13.Jameel Antoine, 15.Seon Thomas, 16.David Williams, 26.Nicholas Dillon, 45.Kadeem Corbin

Unused substitutes: 6.Shaquille Moses, 1.Junior Granger (GK), 30.Chevon Legendre

Coach: Jason Spence

San Juan Jabloteh: 36.Raheem Belgrave; 11.Damian Williams, 18.Jevon Morris, 22.Calib Sturge, 10.Kerry Baptiste, 24.Adrian Reid (26. Josiah Trimmingham 71st), 8.Newton Sterling (7.Andell Noray 46th), 12.Brendon Boucaud, 15.Isaiah Mc Intyre, 17.Fabian Reid, 9.Johan Peltier (14.Shaquille Bertrand 78th)

Unused substitutes: 35.Aaron Enill (GK), 6.Dario Holmes, 20.Nkosi David, 23.Brendon Figuera

Coach: Keith Jeffrey

Teams

Police FC: 18.Adrian Foncette; 4.Karlon Murray (Y=Y=Red Card), 7.Mekesi Lewis (9.Hector Sam 82nd), 11.Kareem Perry (Red Card), 13.Elijah Roberts, 20.Elijah Belgrave, 21.Todd Ryan (5.Anton Joseph 62nd), 25.Noel Williams, 35.Kerry Frederick, 12.Micah Lewis (17.Dexter Alleyne 69th), 32.Kaaron Foster

Unused substitutes: 8.Kurdell Braithwaite, 15.Jameel Perry, 1.Kareem Freitas, 31.Theon Browne (GK)

Coach: Richard Hood

Defence Force: Sheldon Clarke; 2.Glynn Franklyn, 4.Dave Long, 8.Curtis Gonzales (Y+Y=Red Card), 10.Josimar Belgrave (13.Marvin Jones 75th), 22.Jamali Garcia, 25. 26.Richard Roy, 90.Jerlani Felix (21.Aklie Edwards 60th), 99.Jerwyn Balthazar, 17.Ross Russell Jr., 11.Akeem Roach (9.Devorn Jorsling 82nd)

Unused substitutes: 18.Sean Narcis, 24.Brandon Joseph, 28.Andre Marchan (GK), 3.Keston Williams

Coach: Marvin Gordon