Petrotrin keep 100% record
By JOEL BAILEY (Newsday)
Thursday, April 10 2008
UNITED PETROTRIN holds the top spot in the 2008 Pro League with a 100-percent record after action in Round One Match Day Two was staged on Tuesday.
Striker Beville Joseph’s 86th minute winner was enough to give Petrotrin a 1-0 triumph over St Ann’s Rangers in the second match of a double-header at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.
In the earlier match, Tobago United and newcomers Ma Pau SC battled to a 2-2 draw with Garth Woodley spoiling Ma Pau’s dream of a first win, in only their second game at this level.
Woodley’s 81st minute leveller denied Ma Pau full points, after they twice held the lead, courtesy an own goal from Selwyn Isaacs in the 31st and Christon Freitas in the 68th.
Evergreen Guyanese forward Collie Hercules got Tobago’s first equaliser in the 65th while Woodley got the crucial item with nine minutes remaining.
In a double-header at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima, Caledonia AIA and North East Stars both registered their first success of the season, by 1-0 margins over W Connection and Defence Force respectively.
Veteran St Vincent forward Kendall Velox notched the winner for Caledonia in the 58th minute while North East were indebted to a 20th minute item from Akiel Guevara.
The other match on the schedule, champs CLICO San Juan Jabloteh and hosts Joe Public played to an entertaining 2-2 draw at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Tunapuna.
Joe Public nearly got the breakthrough in the 16th minute, as the nippy Guyanese forward Gregory Richardson, on a breakaway, weaved his way through the Jabloteh midfield and played midfielder Kevin Lamey on the left.
Lamey, one of two Jamaican recruits during the off-season (the other was left-back Irvinor English and both formerly of Jamaican club Waterhouse), could only watch in amazement as his left-footed chip, over goalkeeper Cleon John, hit the crossbar and sailed out of play.
That miss proved costly a minute later as Jabloteh’s striker Gaeson Gregory broke Joe Public’s off-side trap and headed a pass from new entrant Willis Plaza (formerly of Caledonia) beyond the bemused goalie Alejandro Figueroa. Gregory and his fellow Antiguan forward Peter Byers combined for Jabloteh’s second strike in the 38th – John’s deep clearance was met by Gregory who played Byers free at goal and the muscular striker was too much for veteran Lyndon “Chubby” Andrews to deal with, drilling his right-footer to Figueroa’s right.
Joe Public’s half-time introductions – Jair Lopez and Kareem Joachim for English and Arnold Dwarika, injected a new life in their display as the hosts deservedly rallied to a share of the points.
In the 70th, a roving Silas Spann on the right wing whipped in a cross into the Jabloteh’s penalty area, which was met by Lopez who diverted the ball into the back of the net, via the keeper’s right crossbar.
Five minutes later, Richardson and Lopez played a neat one-two on the right-flank before Lopez found Joachim in the box, and Joachim’s header was parried onto the crossbar by an alert John.
But John could do nothing to prevent Kerry Baptiste from tying the scores in the 80th, finishing off a counter-attacking move by Richardson and Lopez.
Action in Round One Match Day Three will be contested on Saturday.