Newly-crowned T&T Professional Football League champion team North-East Stars began defence of the FA Trophy in fine style on Sunday, defeating fellow PFL side Defence Force 3-1 at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, Arima.
The match was a personal triumph for striker Anthony Wolfe, who netted all of the goals for the Sangre Grande-based North East Stars.
Wolfe opened the scoring in the 21st minute, then netted again in the 55th and rounded off the scoring in the 80th minute.
Sherman “Ants” Phillip scored for the sailor-soldier combination in the 56th minute.
Defence Force, who play in the Northern Football Association, also bowed out losing 1-5 to former champion Vibe CT 105 W Connection of the PFL at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella.
Kendall Davis led the scoring for W Connection, getting goals in the 25th and 38th minutes.
All the goals came in the first-half, Silvio Spann (8th), Andre Toussaint (9th) and Stephan Theophilus (45th) got the other goals for WCFC while Gary John scored for Defence Force in the 23rd minute.
Cellar-placed Tobago team United got eliminated, going under 2-4 to Police of the National Super League at Shaw Park.
A second-half hat-trick by Sean McCletchie was mainly responsible for the win by the policemen over the Tobagonians, who led 2-0 early in the match through goals by Michael Bailey and Noel Williams. Jason Boodram scored the other goal for Police before half-time.
Doubles by Nigel Pierre and Kerry Noray, plus a goal each from Vernon Bailey and Fabien Garcia, steered CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh (PFL) to a comfortable 6-0 win over Falcon Crest of the EFA.
Arima Morvant Fire scored had a 5-0 win over Mayaro Spurs of the Eastern Counties, while South Starworld Strikers whipped Harvard (also of the NFA) 4-2 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
Devon Modeste played a leading role in the “Fire” win over Mayaro Spurs, scoring a beavertrick.
National Super League champion team Joe Public held on to beat Medianet Orie, the champion Northern Football Association team, 2-1 with an own goal in the third minute and another from Dane O’Brien in the 11th minute.
Central Football Association’s Leeds edged Fire Service of the Northern Football Association 2-1 to move into the second round.
Also advancing were Earth San Fernando Giants of the SFA and Maple of the NFA — the former beating T&T Coast Guard of the EFA 4-0 and the latter edging Economy Strikers of the Eastern Counties 2-1. The next round of matches is scheduled for December 1st, 2004.
Results:
North East Stars PFL 3 (Anthony Wolfe 21st, 55th, 80th) vs Defence Force PFL 1 (Sherman Phillip 56th).
Defence Force NFA 1 (Gary John 23rd) vs W Connection 1 (Kendall Davis 25th, 38th, Silvio Spann 8th, Andre Toussaint 9th, Stephan Theophilus 45th).
Tobago United PFL 2 (Michael Bailey, Noel Williams) vs Police SFA 4 (Sean McCletchie 3, Jason Boodram).
Starworld Strikers PFL 4 vs Harvard NFA 2.
South West Drillers PFL 0 vs Palo Seco Sports Club SFA 1.
San Juan Jabloteh (PFL) 6 (Nigel Pierre 2, Kerry Noray 2, Vernon Bailey, Fabien Garcia) vs Falcon Crest of the EFA 0.
Arima Morvant Fire PFL 5 (Abdullah Phillip 8th; Devon Modeste 50th, 63rd, 67th, 70th) v Mayaro Spurs 0.
Joe Public 2 vs Medianet Orie NFA 1.
Leeds CFA 2 vs Fire Service 1.
San Fernando Giants SFA 4 (Choy Rees 2; Nicholas Rajaran 2) v T&T Coast Guard EFA 0.
TSTT EFA vs L-Sporto Connection NSL — postponed.
Rotiv Couva Players Utd CFA vs Phoenix TFA — postponed.
Superstar Rangers NFA vs St Clair’s Coaching School TFA — postponed.
Sidey’s TFA vs Malta Cariba Alcons EFA — postponed.
PFCC SFA vs Kris Marketing X-Men SFA — postponed.