By the closing minutes of last night’s Digicel Pro League fixture between Defence Force and North East Stars, the two football coaches were reduced to the role of helpless spectators at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain.
Defence Force coach Ross Russell jumped up and down while waving his arms as though signalling to the last rescue plane. Stars coach Angus Eve stood still with a pained expression like he had just ingested something unpalatable and was waiting for nature to run its course.
If Friday’s 1-1 draw between DirecTV W Connection and Neal & Massy Caledonia AIA epitomised control and tactical discipline, then yesterday’s 3-3 tie featuring Defence Force and Stars was a beautiful chaos.
At the final whistle, the two clubs remained locked at the summit of the Pro League table with four points each as roughly 200 spectators clapped them off and tried to make sense of it all.
North East Stars were three goals ahead after 54 minutes and looked favoured to get a fourth too.
But 26-year-old soldier Josimar Belgrave had other plans.
It was not the best representation of the sport, in tactical and technical terms, but it sure was exciting.
Stars owner Darryl Mahabir changes coaches almost as frequently as a model swaps outfits. His latest recruit, the 39-year-old Eve, is arguably one of the country’s brightest young coaches and he raised expectations with a 3-1 win over the Caribbean champions, Caledonia, in Stars’ first League game this season.
Yesterday was just Stars’ second League fixture and, after 10 minutes, the Sangre Grande-based team was already ahead as star striker Cornell Glen threaded a pass for winger Micah Lewis who produced a composed finish.
Glen, 32, was one of Trinidad and Tobago’s bright lights at the senior Germany 2006 World Cup. The 21-year-old Lewis represented T&T at the Korea 2007 Under-17 World Cup.
It is an indication of the talent that Eve has at his disposal.
In contrast, Russell chose to omit his four best players—strikers Devorn Jorsling and Richard Roy, winger Kevon Carter and utility player Curtis Gonzales—who were late returning from Caribbean Cup duty in St Kitts and Nevis.
And, as Defence Force’s reserve left back Michael Edwards ran around willingly but aimlessly at centre forward, Russell’s selection looked anything but justified.
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