Caledonia, N/E Stars record impressive wins
Digicel Pro League leaders Central FC and defending champions DIRECTV W Connection both struck brick walls on Tuesday, suffering 1-0 and 2-1 defeats against Defence Force and Point Fortin Civic respectively in their Round Two Match Day Five encounters.
Civic, led by debuting interim head coach Leroy De Leon, created the first upset of the day when they edged second placed Connection 2-1 in the early clash of the day at the Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin.
It took Civic just two minutes into the match for former Connection player Andre Toussaint to give the Point Fortin club a 1-0 advantage before Jerrel Britto levelled the scores in the 42nd minute for a 1-1 score at the break for his seventh league goal this season.
However Civic substitute Jamille Boatswain restored the home side’s advantage with a 2-1 score, netting the winner on the 74th minute for the club entrusting Trinidad and Tobago Sports Hall of Famer, De Leon, to serve as caretaker.
It was helping hand for Central (29 points) to extend their lead nine points clear of Connection (23 points), but a stoppage time winner by Defence Force substitute Devorn Jorsling at the Ato Boldon Stadium saw the “Couva Sharks” fall to a 1-0 defeat, ending an eight-match undefeated run.
Defence Force proved just enough of a contest to cancel out Central while keeping Willis Plaza and Ataulla Guerra at bay, before the latter was sent off just before the hour mark with a direct red card.
Central goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams, in contest with Defence Force forward Richard Roy in the 32nd minute, handled the ball outside the box in the 32nd minute and was lucky not to pick up a yellow card. But teammate Guerra felt the full brunt of referee Dave Daniel, who issued the midfielder a direct red card for striking the face of Dave Long near the centre of the field in the 58th minute.
Five minutes earlier, Guerra with a neat heeled pass allowed Jamal Jack a crack at goal and the defender’s thump cannoned off the cross bar. Jack had another attempt following a solo run in the 84th minute but his deflected effort flew high of goalkeeper Sheldon Clarke’s netting.
Two minutes before that – on the other end – goalkeeper Williams had to tip behind a floating Roy header, but in the first of three minutes stoppage time, the Central goalie and his defenders were left beaten, and their five-match winning streak halted.
Jorsling, who replaced full-back Jerlani Felix with three minutes of regular time left, slid in between a host of players at the edge of the six yard area to direct a low Marvin Jones’ cross into the Central netting for his fifth league goal this season to break the deadlock.
The win puts Defence Force tied with North East Stars – 3-1 winners over Police FC at the Marvin Lee Stadium – and Connection, in ascending order, on 23 points.
Keron Cummings, Keryn Navarro and Dwane James scored in the 46th, 76th and 86th minutes for the Angus Eve-coached North East Stars before Police captain and midfielder Todd Ryan pulled back a goal in the stoppage time at the Marvin Lee Stadium.
Simultaneously at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Caledonia were pegging their way to a come-from-behind win against cellar placed St. Ann’s Rangers.
Kennedy Isles had given Rangers a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute before Caledonia stormed back with goals by Nathan Lewis, Guyana nationals Pernell Schultz and Domini Garnett, and substitute Conrod Smith in the 29th, 34th, 55th and 83rd minutes, respectively, to snap a five-match losing streak.
The result puts Caledonia tied on 14 points with Police and Point Fortin Civic, while mid-table Play Whe San Juan Jabloteh stands with 16 points and rock bottom Rangers with just one point.
The 2014-2015 Digicel Pro League resumes on the weekend with a Round Two Match Day Six double header at the Marvin Lee Stadium on Friday 6 February when Police FC takes on Caledonia AIA from 6 pm and Central FC against Play Whe San Juan Jabloteh from 8 pm.
The round continues on Saturday 7 February with Point Fortin Civic hosting St. Ann’s Rangers from 4 pm at the Mahaica Oval and simultaneously at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, DIRECTV W Connection will battle Defence Force.
Round Two Match Day Five Results
Point Fortin Civic 2 (Andre Toussaint 2', Jamille Boatswain 74') vs W Connection 1 (Jerrel Britto 72')
Caledonia AIA 4 (Nathan Lewis 29, Pernell Schultz 34', Domini Garnett 55', Conrad Smith 83') vs St. Ann's Rangers 1 (Kennedy Isles 19')
Defence Force 1 (Devorn Jorsling 90'+) vs Central FC 0
North East Stars 3 (Keron Cummings 46', Keryn Navarro 76', Dwane James 86') vs Police FC 1 (Todd Ryan 90'+)
Teams
Caledonia AIA: 1.Shemel Louison; 8.Keron Bethelmy, 10.Hayden Tinto, 26.Nicholas Mercano, 5.Cristoper Mejia, 12.Kareem Joseph (C), 9.Keyon Edwards, 28.Pernell Schultz (31.Kyle Adams 90th), 23.Jamil Joseph, 27.Nathan Lewis (4.Conrad Smith 75th), 30.Domini Garnett (19.Julio Noel 75th)
Unused substitutes: 31.Kyle Adams, 60.D'Eandre Villaroel (GK), 32.Kyle Bartholomew, 20.Rogelio Robinson
Coach: Jerry Moe
St. Ann's Rangers: 22.Christopher Biggette; 4.Jelani Peters (C), 8.Sedale Mc Lean (26.Nicholas Dillon 63rd), 10.Kennedy Isles, 9.Keron Cornwall (7.Sayid Freitas 68th), 15.Seon Thomas, 45.Kadeem Corbin, 33.Devon Modeste (3.Al Davidson 63rd), 38.Ryan O'Neil, 40.Charles Pollard, 41.Kevon Goddard
Unused substitutes: 1.Junior Granger (GK), 6.Shaquille Moses, 13.Jameel Neptune, 31.Joshua Sylvester
Coach: Jason Spence
Teams
Defence Force: 25.Sheldon Clarke; 2.Glynn Franklyn, 13.Marvin Jones, 22.Jamali Garcia, 26.Richard Roy, 90.Jerlani Felix (9.Devorn Jorsling 87th), 99.Jerwyn Balthazar, 17.Ross Russell Jr. (12.Jemel Sebro 71st), 11.Akeem Roach (10.Josimar Belgrave 62nd), 4.Dave Long, 8.Curtis Gonzales
Unused substitutes: 28.Andre Marchan (GK), 19.Dexter Pacheco, 3.Keston Williams, 18.Sean Narcis
Coach: Marvin Gordon
Central FC: 21.Jan-Michael Williams; 5.Akeem Benjamin, 45.Ataullah Guerra (Red Card), 12.Jamal Jack, 7.Jason Marcano (77.Rundell Winchester 81st), 15.Kaydion Gabriel, 8.Sean de Silva, 33.Willis Plaza, 4.Uriah Bentick, 2.Elton John, 10.Marvin Oliver
Unused substitutes: 30.Akel Clarke (GK), 11.Darren Mitchell, 99.Dwight Quintero, 14.Jean-Luc Rochford, 24.Kevon Villaroel, 29.Upston Edwards
Coach: Zoran Vranes
Upcoming Matches
Friday 6 February 2015
Police FC vs Caledonia AIA—6 pm, Marvin Lee Stadium
Central FC vs San Juan Jabloteh—8 pm, Marvin Lee Stadium
Saturday 7 February 2015
Point Fortin Civic vs St. Ann’s Rangers—4 pm, Mahaica Oval
W Connection vs Defence Force—4 pm, Manny Ramjohn Stadium