Terminex La Horquetta Rangers came away with a hard-fought 4-2 win over Central Soccer World in the Ascension Invitation Football League on Friday night, in the second match of a second-round double-header at Phase 2 Recreation ground in La Horquetta.
Rangers had four different players find the net to keep their team at the top of the 10-team table with 10 points from four matches with three wins and a draw.
Kadeem Corbin opened the scoring in the 22nd minute to send the home team’s fans into a celebratory mood. However, Kemmuel Rivers cancelled out that goal, scoring 11 minutes later, to level the scores, 1-1 and it remained that way until the half-time whistle.
On the resumption, Rangers, coached by Dave Quamina, made several changes to their line-up which paid dividends as substitute Ataullah Guerra put his team ahead again in the 54th.
Three minutes later, Rangers thanks to Isaiah Lee, who was named “Player of the Week” at the end of the match, went up 3-1 and continued to push for more goals but Rivers had other plans.
He returned in the 79th minute to score his second goal of the match past goal-keeper Jabari St Hillaire and reduced Central Soccer World’s deficit to one, (3-2) but that was shortlived as another substitute Daniel David restored Rangers two-goal lead, a minute later and put the icing on the cake.
Rangers coach Quamina was pleased with the win and expressed his respect for the effort from Central Soccer World.
“Kudos to CSW team. They have very experienced players and a good coach. The plan was to win the game first which we did. It was a very intense game. They made us work extremely hard. I just want to ‘big up’ the staff and coach of the CSW team and I think they will go far in the league,” said Quamina in the post-match interview.
Earlier in the opening clash, Jabari Mitchell scored a double to lead Police past Real West Fort United, 4-0 to move into second place in the standing.
Rash challenges from the Real West Fort saw Police go to the penalty spot twice in two minutes. Gabriel Nanton completed the first in the 23rd minute and Mitchell in 26th to put the Lawmen up 2-0.
Central defender Kemron Purcell made it 3-0 off a set-piece which saw him head the ball past the Real West Fort custodian in the 43rd. The scores remained unchanged at the half.
Mitchell got his second item, seven minutes into the second half to give his Police team an even bigger lead (4-0) which they held on to when time expired.
Mitchell, who was later named “Player of the Match”, said: “A little more energy was required from me. I think I executed that tonight (Friday).
His coach Richard Hood added: “We were pressing the ball decently. I would have liked us getting more in transition. We won a lot of balls but we didn’t finish off the transition very well. Our organisation was really good. I was happy about that.”
RESULTS
POLICE 4 (3) (Gabriel Nanton 23rd pen, Jabari Mitchell 26th pen, 52nd, Kemron Purcell 43rd) vs REAL WEST FORT 0.
Player of the Match: Jabari Mitchell (Police)
TERMINEX RANGERS 4 (1) (Kadeem Corbin 22nd, Ataullah Guerra 54th, Isaiah Lee 57th, Daniel David 80th) vs CENTRAL SOCCER WORLD 2 (1) (Kemmuel Rivers 33rd, 79th)
Player of the Match: Daniel David (Rangers)
Player of the Week: Isaiah Lee (Rangers)
RELATED NEWS
Rangers remain top of Ascension League.
By Joel Bailey (T&T Newsday).
TERMINIX LA Horquetta Rangers remain top of the pack in the Ascension Football Tournament, after defeating Central Soccer World 4-2 in the second of back-to-back matches at the La Horquetta Recreation Ground, Arima on Friday, as Round Four action got going.
Rangers have a tally of ten points from four matches, one point ahead of Police, who trounced Real West Fort United 4-0 in the earlier encounter on Friday.
Kadeem Corbin, Ataullah Guerra, Isaiah Lee and Daniel David got their names on the scoresheet for Rangers, while Kemuel Rivers and Trinidad and Tobago striker Nicholas Dillon responded for Central Soccer World.
Gary Griffith III, son of former Police Commissioner Gary Griffith, made his debut for Real West Fort, but the lawmen stole the show, courtesy of a double from former TT midfielder Jabari Mitchell and one apiece from Gabriel Nanton and Kemron Purcell.
There were no matches at the Arima Velodrome on Saturday, due to the staging of the Easter Grand Prix cycling meet. Nevertheless, those scheduled games will take place on Monday, at the Velodrome, with the cellar-placed Moruga FC opposing Cunupia FC from 5 pm followed by a clash between Defence Force and AC Port of Spain two hours later.
On Sunday, at the Police Barracks in St James, Central FC will entertain Deportivo Point Fortin from 5 pm.