Rangers shoot down 'Stars'
By: Kern De Freitas (Express).
Four second half goals turned what started out as a bland T&T Pro League encounter into a 3-1 victory for Superstar Rangers over Economy North East Stars at the Hasely Crawford Stadium yesterday.
Josimar Belgrave will gladly accept the blame for turning the match around, as he struck in the 59th minute, just three minutes after he took the field, to help inspire the victory.
A powerful shot from Shem McFarlane and a late, beautiful long-distance effort from Rangers Under-20 player Corneal Thomas made sure Rangers' party would not be spoiled by the Sangre Grande-based outfit.
Before that, the teams--perhaps owing to the rainy conditions and resultant slippery outfield--failed to excite the small crowd, with few chances on goal and some costly misses. North East Stars, in hindsight, would rue each and every opportunity they let slip by them.
Stars' ploy of crowding out Rangers' main striker and skipper Errol McFarlane Jr worked wonders. The big forward, along with strike partner Shem McFarlane was kept in check for long periods, with neither team grabbing the advantage in the first half.
In the 56th, Rangers brought on Belgrave to bring some life into the midfield. That tactic paid almost immediate dividends, as he sprinted past a defender on his fresh pair of legs to intercept a diagonal pass on the right from Ricardo Aleong. Belgrave's first touch was not convincing, but he kept his composure to slot home between the near post and advancing North East Stars custodian Curtis Granger.
That sparked life into Rangers' effort and they surged forward, looking to double their advantage. Stars, who looked the more likely to score at the resumption, suddenly had to defend from a barrage of attempts that rained on them. Belgrave tried his luck with another through pass, this time on the right, but was squeezed out by defender Keryn Navarro.
Shem McFarlane would not be denied, though. He gleefully accepted a long ball from Aleong, and turned first time to blast past Granger in the 69th.
North East Stars were not ready to give up yet and Guyanese striker Randolph Jerome pulled one back in the 78th, booting in a sharp cross past Rangers goalie Shane Mattis from close range.
Rangers should count themselves lucky to survive the ensuing assault. But Jerome missed from close range a minute later and Carlon Hughes misfired twice from six metres with Mattis at his mercy.
Two minutes from time, Thomas produced the goal of the game. He raced into space on the right flank and had just crossed halfline when he looked up and spotted Granger off his line. National goalkeeper Marvin Phillip must have looked up from Stars' bench and cringed when he saw the floater soar, dip, and sink into the near post, to seal the issue in their opponents' favour.
The victory not only gave Rangers victory over Stars, but a superior goal difference, which sees them replace Stars in sixth position on the Pro League table.
Teams:
Superstar Rangers:[/b] - Shane Mattis, Coneal Thomas, Marvin James, Ricardo Aleong (Elijah Belgrave), Devon Modeste, Nigel Henry, Arnold Ferguson, Don Morris (Josimar Belgrave), Joseph Peters, Errol Mc Farlane (capt), Shem Mc Farlane (Elijah Belgrave).
North East Stars: - Curtis Granger, Errol Charles, Glenton Wolfe (capt), Keryn Navarro, Marlon Stoute (Desta Francis) (Anthony Thompson), Keston Pierre, Marc Leslie, Sherwin Charles (Kendall Jageosingh), Andre Charles, Carlon Hughes, Randolph Jerome.
Yesterday's Pro League Results:
Superstar Rangers 3 (Josimar Belgrave 59, Shem McFarlane 70, Corneal Thomas 88) v North East Stars 1 (Randolph Jerome 78)
Defence Force 1 (Richard Roy 54) v Caledonia AIA 0
Joe Public 3 (Kerry Baptiste 10, Gary Glasgow 15, 58) v Tobago United 1 (Kayode Legall 89)
Police F.C. 4 (Terryl Elwin 42, Adrian Nunez 48, Hayden Jones 77, 88) v W Connection 3 (Jose Luis Seabra 73, Earl Jean 75, Jonatan Farias 90)
United Petrotrin 1 (Andre Alexis 47) v San Juan Jabloteh 3 (Peter Byers 84, 86, Jason Marcano 90)
