Rangers beat Caledonia, Connection defeats Stars, AC Jabloteh, T&TEC draw

Connection leads with maximum 9 points from three matches, while T&TEC dropped points for the first time with a 1-1 draw against Adam’s Construction San Juan Jabloteh at the Larry Gomes Stadium to occupy second spot with 7 points.

In-form Connection midfielder Hughtun Hector, coming off a double against Caledonia AIA on Tuesday, opened the scoring in the 19th minute and Andre Quashie notched the home side’s second item in the 38th minute for a 2-0 cushion at the break.

And Stars without marquee signing Stern John in its squad on Friday night pulled back a goal with a strike by Kaydion Gabriel in the 72nd minute.

North East Stars sits third with 4 points and St. Ann’s Rangers in fourth, also with 4 points having picked up full points against Caledonia on Friday night at the Larry Gomes Stadium with a 2-1 win.

Jabloteh follows in fifth position with just 3 points with its third consecutive draw.

Jabloteh and T&TEC met prior to Friday’s Round One Match Day Five League fixture with a 4-4 draw in the Group stage of First Citizens Cup last month and again failed to get the better of each other.

Late goals saw defender Karlon Murray equalize after T&TEC held advantage through a Sylvester Teesdale strike.

Jabloteh had the first attempt on goal with defender Jamal Jack hitting wide of the upright with a powerfully struck strike from 25 yards out after he was played in by Kennedy Hinkson in the 15th minute.

Moments later T&TEC’s Daniel Garcia had a shot on target but into the gloves of goalkeeper Cleon John after he was picked out by a low Aubrey David cross from the right.

T&TEC were in defense mode again when a Hector Sam freekick was spilled by goalkeeper Akini Adams in the 39th minute and from the resulting corner, Willis Plaza headed overbar.

Elijah Manners then found the back of the net in the 42nd minute from close up, but his celebration was cut short by referee assistant Ainsley Rochard who signaled offside to the disgust of supporters in what seemed a legitimate goal.

A couple off targets followed on either side before T&TEC then found the net in the 65th minute from a gift, when Oliver’s attempted header to goalkeeper John fell into the path of Sylvester Teesdale who made no mistake for the 1-0 advantage.

The “Electric Boys” were awarded a penalty three minutes later when defender Jamal Jack fouled Kerlon Ferguson inside the area.

However goalkeeper John pulled off a superb save denying Romauld Aguillera on the penalty kick.

Jabloteh later equalized in the 76th minute with Plaza getting the final touch after a sequence of headers inside the T&TEC area which the defence and goalkeeper Adams failed to clear for the 1-1 finish.

Teams

San Juan Jabloteh—Cleon John (capt.), Marvin Oliver, Karlon Murray, Nigel Daniel, Jamal Jack, Elijah Manners, Devon Jamerson, Kennedy Hinkson, Hector Sam (Johan Peltier 72nd), Luke Gullick, Willis Plaza.

Coach—Earl Carter.

T&TEC FC—Akini Adams, Kern Peters (capt.), Anthony Noriega (Yellow 38), Romauld Aguillera, Eustace Darius, Daniel Garcia (Sylvester Teesdale 46th), Bevon Bass, Andrei Pacheco, Kerlon Ferguson (Vurlon Mills 82nd), Kelvin Modeste, Aubrey David.

Coach—Dexter Cyrus.

Rangers win, Caledonia lose again.

St. Ann’s Rangers picked up its first win of the 2011-2012 Digicel Pro League Championship on Friday night at the Larry Gomes Stadium with a 2-1 win over Caledonia AIA of Morvant/Laventille.

Errol McFarlane notched the winner in the 65th minute, just three minutes after replacing teenaged striker Keon Trim, slamming a shot from close up past Caledonia’s Kevin Graham after the Jamaican goalie made a blockout against a shot from Devon Modeste.

Rangers gladly accepted the full points to take its tally to 4 points from three games while Caledonia—the recently crowned First Citizens Cup Champions—sits at the bottom of the standings without a point having suffered three defeats in three matches.

The Morvant/Laventille squad first suffered a 1-0 defeat against DIRECTV North East Stars followed by a 2-0 defeat against W Connection.

Everything seemed against Caledonia on Friday night after having the majority of goalmouth action against a talented Rangers bunch.

Caledonia equalized in the 7th minute through a strike from Keyon Edwards after Rangers were awarded a penalty in just the 3rd minute of play and converted by Modeste.

But in the 93rd minute a penalty-shout in the 93rd minute by Caledonia was turned down by referee Anaaz Mohammed and his near assistant when substitute Abdallah Phillips was clearly upended near the six yard area by defender Jevon Morris as the officials came under fire from spectators at the Larry Gomes Stadium.

Caledonia would also have themselves to blame having failed to hit the target early inside the second period with strikes by talented midfielder Akim Armstrong and Keda Roderick.

In the 59th minute wingback Sheldon Emmanuel hammered in a freekick on target but his superb effort was kept out by Rangers’ Haitian goalie Fortunato Valcourt.

And in the 75th minute, Modeste who scored from the spot and was instrumental in McFarlane’s item, preserved Rangers advantage when he headed off the goal-line a strike from Kevon Woodley.

Full Results

St. Ann’s Rangers 2—1 Caledonia AIA
Devon Modeste 3’, Errol McFarlane 65’  ;  Keyon Edwards 7’

W Connection 2—1 North East Stars
Hughtun Hector 19’, Andre Quashie 38’  ;  Kaydion Gabriel 72’

San Juan Jabloteh 1—1 T&TEC FC
Karlon Murray 76’  ;  Sylvester Teesdale 65’

Teams

St. Ann’s Rangers—Fortunato Valcourt, Trent Noel (capt.), Keon Trim (Errol McFarlane 62nd), Elijah Belgrave, Devon Modeste, Mikhail Awai, Theon James, Jevon Morris, Marvin Springer, Shaquille Nesbitte, Akil Clarke (Kaashif Thomas 79th).

Coach—Anthony Streete.

Caledonia AIA—Kevin Graham, Stephan David (capt.), Nuru Abdullah Muhammad (Yellow), Burton Sheldon Emmanuel, Keyon Edwards, Keda Roderick (Abdallah Phillips 62nd), Kareem Joseph, Trayon Bobb (Travis Mulraine 73rd), Akim Armstrong, Mekesi Lewis (Kevon Woodley 62nd), Kemron Purcell.

Coach—Jerry Moe.