An improved second-half performance led Caledonia AIA to their first victory of the season yesterday and a place in the First Citizens Bank Cup competition, scheduled to begin next Wednesday.
The Caledonia team beat Arima Fire 3-1 in a preliminary playoff at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya to book eighth position in the Cup competition.
Goals by Nigel Hart (49th), Abdullah Phillip (63rd) and Ronald St Louis (74th) cancelled out Uz Taylor’s 57th minute strike for Arima Fire.
After being held 0-0 after 45 minutes, Caledonia AIA improved on an unimpressive first half performance to dominate the rest of their game with Fire.
Few would have expected the final outcome, as the Firemen kept the Morvant-based team pinned in their half for much of the first session.
But from the kick-off of the second half, AIA were a different bunch. Launching into attack, they were rewarded just four minutes into the half.
Nigel Hart would have been disappointed with an earlier effort when he headed poorly to goal and allowed Dane Charles to clear the danger for Fire. But a minute later, Hart atoned for his mistake in emphatic fashion by drilling a powerful shot across Fire goalie Perry Martin and into the far corner of the Arima Fire goal.
After Ellis Dyette failed twice to push AIA further ahead, Fire were able to find an equaliser through Uz Taylor, who latched onto a floated cross, before scooping the ball over goalkeeper Anthony Marshall.
Caledonia continued to attack and were back in front in the 63rd minute through a flicked header from Abdullah Phillips from a corner-kick.
Eventually, Caledonia put the game out of reach in the 74th minute when substitute Ronald St Louis converted from the penalty spot. Referee Ramesh Ramdhan had pointed to the spot after Fire’s Darryl James had handled the ball when AIA midfielder Ryan Stewart attempted to flick it past him.
For the victory, Caledonia have been rewarded with a quarter-final meeting with T&T Pro League leaders CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh next Wednesday, while Defence Force have drawn Vibe CT 105 W-Connection, who they beat in the 2002 final.