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Connection hits seven against Civic and Rangers hold N/E Stars; but D/Force and Central stay ahead

Kareem Freitas scored a hat-trick on Tuesday night as Police FC mauled Morvant Caledonia United 5-0 in the first game of a Digicel Pro League (DPL) double-header at the Marvin Lee Stadium.

The victory snapped a two-game losing slide by coach Richard Hood’s Lawmen, thanks to a first half brace by forward Freitas, who completed the rout and his hat-trick in stoppage-time with his 9th DPL goal this season.

But down at the Ato Boldon Stadium, in the second game of the Couva venue’s double-header, W Connection romped to a 7-1 win over Point Fortin Civic to occupy third position on the 2015-16 standings while Police, a point behind and also moving up one spot, took fourth position at the end of the Round Two Match Day Three slate of games.

It was the second straight outing that Civic have conceded seven goals after last Friday’s 7-0 loss against defending champions Central FC at the same venue.

Civic, now defeated in their last five games, got their lone item through forward Jamille Boatswain on 34 minutes. But the Point Fortin side were trailing in a 3-1 score at the half after being credited with an own goal just 3 minutes on and Connection adding a goal from Dwight Quintero on 9 minutes and Alvin Jones converting from the penalty spot in the 23rd minute.

In the second half Andre Toussaint made it 4-1 in the 53rd minute against his former employers before a double from Suriname forward Dimitrie Apai, netting in the 74th and 80th minutes, and an item from teenager Aikim Andrews in the 81st minute, completed the comfortable Connection win.

Connection may well be making clear their intent ahead of Sunday’s Couva Clasico against Central FC at the same venue.

Central were also in winners’ row on Tuesday night after holding off Club Sando 2-1 in the first game in Couva.

Forward Marcus Joseph and midfielder Ataulla Guerra scored in the 29th and 43rd minutes, respectively, for the Couva Sharks before Shaquille Holder pulled a goal back ten minutes from time for Sando.

The result saw Central join leaders Defence Force on 24 points for a temporary stint at the summit.

However Defence Force, in their bid to lift the 2015-16 DPL crown, restored their three-point lead with a 2-0 win over San Juan Jabloteh in the second game at the Marvin Lee Stadium.

Jabloteh goalie Shemel Louison made a penalty save with his legs on the half hour mark to keep out a poorly taken kick from Devorn Jorsling following a handball in the area.

However the Grenada national team custodian was unable to avoid defeat for the sixth placed Jabloteh after Defence Force found the back of the net twice in the second period.

Forward Brent Sam, recently honoured as last season’s Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL)’s Player of the Year, had Jabloteh’s best chances of the first half. But his audacious heeled attempt saw the ball roll wide in the 20th minute and he headed overbar off a deflected Nathan Lewis attempt four minutes from the break.

But Defence Force’s Jerwyn Balthazar, who will represent Trinidad and Tobago’s Futsal team over the next weekend, broke the deadlock on 56 minutes with his 10th DPL goal of the season.

Balthazar, coming off his beaver-trick performance last Friday, when he handed the leaders a 4-0 win over Rangers, towered the Jabloteh area to head in a Kishun Seecharan corner, after the latter forced Louison into a save and winning the corner.

Defence Force were denied a second item in the 65th minute when Jabloteh’s Jamaican playmaker Fabien Reid cleared substitute Jamali Garcia’s attempt off the line after a corner.

But in stoppage-time, Ross Russell Jr., who hammered high of the target on 66 minutes, sent a low strike into Louison’s far bottom corner after he was played into the area by substitute Hashim Arcia.

Earlier at the Macoya venue, Kareem Freitas put Police ahead 1-0 on 10 minutes with a well-executed strike into goalkeeper Marvin Phillip’s net following a feed into the area by midfielder Kaaron Foster.

That goal came one minute after Caledonia’s Kareem Joseph strike and a rebound effort from Sheldon Holder were both blocked out by Police defenders.

Similarly, Freitas made it 2-0 after Caledonia, again, failed to find the back of the net.

Police goalie Keinol Paul produced a one-handed save in the 35th minute to blank Caledonia winger Jameel Neptune in a one-on-one that should have levelled the scoring.

Paul did well again two minutes later with a low save to tip behind an Akim Armstrong attempt from the right.

Then on 39 minute Freitas handed Police the two-goal cushion when he lifted a strike into the roof of Phillip’s net from above the box after Todd Ryan had won the ball in a scrimmage.

Defender Anton Hutchinson made it 3-0 in the 61st minute when he knocked in a Christon Thomas free-kick swung in from the right after Phillip had made back-to-back saves on 54 minutes to deny Kevin Lewis and a rebound attempt from Mekesi Lewis.

Phillip was beaten again, this time left out to dry by his defence, when Thomas controlled off his chest before letting off a cheeky feed substitute Keon Wilson, who completed the task with a cool finish into the bottom corner for a 4-0 score.

Three minutes from the end of regular time substitute Kyle Bartholomew had an excellent opportunity to salvage a consolation item for Caledonia, however, the attacking midfielder volleyed a perfectly placed Sheldon Holder cross overbar.

Then in stoppage-time Freitas completed his hat-trick with a right-footed blast past Phillip after skipping away from a defender upon collecting a Wilson feed.

Police will return to action on Friday when they visit San Juan Jabloteh from 8 pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium following a 6 pm kick-off between Defence Force and Club Sando.

North East Stars, who slipped two spots down into fifth on Tuesday after being held 0-0 by ninth placed St. Ann’s Rangers at the Larry Gomes Stadium, will next host Point Fortin Civic from 3:30 pm on Saturday at the same venue.

The Malabar venue will come alive again on Sunday, also from 3:30 pm, when St. Ann’s Rangers and Morvant Caledonia United meet in a bottom-of-the-table clash. Also on Sunday, the feature clash between rivals Central and W Connection kick-off from 4 pm in Couva.

Results

North East Stars 0 vs St. Ann’s Rangers 0

Police FC 5 (Kareem Freitas 10’, 39’, 90’+2, Anton Hutchinson 61’, Keon Wilson 74’) vs Morvant Caledonia United 0

San Juan Jabloteh 0 vs Defence Force 2(Jerwyn Balthazar 56’, Ross Russell Jr. 90’+3)

Central FC 2 (Marcus Joseph 29’, Ataulla Guerra 43’) vs Club Sando 1 (Shaquille Holder 80’)

W Connection 7 (Own Goal 3’, Dwight Quintero 9’, Alvin Jones 23’ penalty, Andre Toussaint 53’, Dimitrie Apai 74’, 80’, Aikim Andrews 81’) vs Point Fortin Civic 1 (Jamille Boatswain 34’)

Teams

Police FC: 22.Keinol Paul; 5.Anton Hutchinson, 7.Clevon Mc Fee, 9.Makesi Lewis (16.Keon Wilson 70th minute), 10.Kareem Freitas, 12.Kevin Lewis (13.Ricardo Peltier 72nd minute), 14.Kaaron Foster, 17.Dexter Alleyne, 19.Christon Thomas, 20.Elijah Belgrave, 21.Todd Ryan (Capt.) (11.Kadeem Riley 79th minute)

Unused substitutes: 2.Jasimar Ashers, 8.Kurdell Brathwaite, 18.Dylon King, 3.Kadeem Boyce

Coach: Richard Hood

Morvant Caledonia United: 1.Marvin Phillip; 3.Ronaldo Bailey, 4.Ordell Flemming, 7.Stephan David (29.Kareem Knights 70th minute), 10.Sheldon Holder, 12.Kareem Joseph, 15.Otev Lawrence, 16.Antonio Joseph (13.Kyle Bartholomew 65th minute), 17.Akim Armstrong (24.Gregory President 77th minute), 22.Jameel Neptune, 28.Pernell Schultz 

Unused substitutes: 8.Anthony Charles, 20.Jamaal Harvey, 23.Shaquille Edwards, 33.Deandre Villaroel (GK) 

Coach: Jerry Moe

Match Referee: Keilon Bacchus

Teams

San Juan Jabloteh: 30.Shemel Louison; 4.Garth Thomas, 7.Jamal Gay, 9.Brent Sam, 18.Jevon Morris (10.Tyrone Charles 64th minute) (8.Keyon Edwards 78th minute), 21.Aquil Selby, 24.Adrian Reid, 11.Damian Williams, 13.Fabien Reid (23.Kennedy Hinkson 78th minute), 27.Nathan Lewis, 15.Jerome Mc Intyre

Unused substitutes: 14.Sean Bonval, 12.Jordan Devonish, 35.Andrew Durant (GK), 16.Kaashif Thomas 

Coach: Keith Jeffrey

Defence Force: 25.Sheldon Clarke; 2.Glynn Franklyn (3.Jamali Garcia 11th minute), 4.Dave Long, 6.Rodell Elcock, 8.Curtis Gonzales, 9.Devorn Jorsling, 17.Ross Russell Jr., 18.Sean Narcis (10.Hashim Arcia 75th minute), 21.Aklie Edwards, 30.Kishun Seecharan (7.Jelani Felix 62nd minute), 99.Jerwyn Balthazar (Capt.)

Unused substitutes: 16.Kellon Serette, 23.Kerry Joseph, 52.Stephan Campbell, 80.Aaron Enill (GK)

Coach: Marvin Gordon

Match Referee: Gyasi Mc Donald

Upcoming Games

Friday 22 January 2016

Defence Force vs Club Sando—6 pm, Ato Boldon Stadium
San Juan Jabloteh vs Police FC—8 pm, Ato Boldon Stadium

Saturday 23 January 2016

North East Stars vs Point Fortin Civic—3:30 pm, Larry Gomes Stadium

Sunday 24 January 2016

St. Ann’s Rangers vs Morvant Caledonia United—3:30 pm, Larry Gomes Stadium

Central FC vs W Connection—4 pm, Ato Boldon Stadium