CALEDONIA AIA and defending Digicel Pro League champions W Connection will attempt to rebound today with rescheduled Round One matches at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, after dropping important points last weekend.
Caledonia, second on the standings with 23 points from 12 matches, conceded a 3-2 defeat against Central FC at the very same Couva venue on Saturday. That result saw leaders Defence Force enjoy a nine-point advantage, with 32 points, after picking up full points following a 2-1 win against Connection on Friday at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya.
Connection slipped a spot into fourth with its 19 points, while North East Stars, 3-1 winners over TTEC, swapped for third with 20 points.
“I think we are always a little unlucky against Defence Force,” said longstanding Connection coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier.
“I think we played the better game but the result was against us. We had our chances to put away and didn’t. It’s something that has been plaguing us this year and all season.”
Connection will tackle neighbouring rivals Central FC from 8 pm in a rescheduled Round One Match Day One fixture, following Caledonia’s 6 pm rescheduled Round One Match Day Seven clash with seventh-placed St Ann’s Rangers.
“We are definitely still confident in the way we play because we play very well against all our opponents. We are confident in ourselves and it’s just down to how we execute on the night of the game,” added Charles-Fevrier.
Connection defeated Central 3-0 on January 5 - one day after Terry Fenwick joined the team dubbed the ‘Sharks’ - in their Round Two clash with a hat-trick from striker Shahdon Winchester.
However later that month, Winchester signed a one-year loan deal with Finland Premier League club FF Jaro.
“It would be nice to have Shahdon,” continued the ex-national coach. “But we don’t dwell on who isn’t here to help us. We feel the players here are capable and we continue to work with them. We have been working every day on the training pitch [on our finishing] but we don’t have any guarantee.”
The St Lucian-born coach continued, “we won 3-0 the only time we played (Central) and they would come a little more focused and prepared. But we are always confident in our ability and we are going to be positive in getting a good result.”
Speaking on his team’s likelihood in defending the League title which heads into the final round just around the corner, the Connection coach said, “it’s obviously difficult. We don’t have much more games and shouldn’t worry about Defence Force. We have to focus on ourselves at this point.”
Meanwhile Caledonia, in a slightly better position on the standings, faces a tricky opponent in Rangers. Despite the St. Ann’s club near the bottom of the ladder position, the Dean Pacheco-coached team has proven a handful for opponents and most recently held North East Stars to a 0-0 draw in their last outing earlier this month.
Caledonia will meet Rangers back-to-back this week, with the rescheduled fixture today and from 5 pm at the Marvin Lee Stadium in Round Two Match Day Seven on Saturday.