St. Ann’s Rangers and Caledonia AIA both advanced into the semi-final round of the 2011-12 Lucozade Sport Goal Shield with slim 1-0 victories over recently crowned Digicel Pro League Champions W Connection and Police FC respectively on Friday night.
Four minutes into the match Connection handed Rangers a penalty and midfielder Devon Modeste made mistake a minute later burying the kick past goalkeeper Aquilius Sylvester for the 1-0 advantage which the St. Ann’s club surprisingly defended till full time at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium.
And at the Hasely Crawford Stadium striker Jamal Gay (66th minute) scored the lone item to secure Caledonia’s place in the semi-final round with the 1-0 result against Police.
Rangers will meet Defence Force (4-1 winners over San Juan Jabloteh in their quarter-final clash) on Friday 20 April in the semi-final round while Caledonia are against T&TEC FC (4-3 penalty winners over defending champs North East Stars following a 1-1 full time result).
It was a back pass by midfielder Clyde Leon to central defender Joel Leslie Russell that Rangers striker Hector Sam hustled the ball before he was pulled down inside the area by Russell and referee Neil Brizan didn’t hesitate to award the penalty kick.
Rangers opted to sit back and defend their one goal advantage and had a decent opportunity by Elijah Belgrave who was denied by the crossbar after an excellent run of play later in the half.
Meantime W Connection’s Shahdon Winchester was the most difficult for the Rangers defense, however after the Trinidad and Tobago U23 forward spilled just wide in the 37th minute and forced a good save out of Mattis five minutes before the break. It was the travelling St. Ann’s club headed by Coach Dean Pacheco that pulled off the stops.
Rangers, which finished at the bottom of the Digicel Pro League Championship, pulled off a hearty defensive performance playing ten players behind the half line and limited Connection to its best effort measured superbly by Mattis against a Joevin Jones strike in the 83rd minute.
Teams
W Connection—Aquelius Sylvester, Clyde Leon (capt.), Elijah Joseph, Joel Leslie Russell, Gerrard Williams, Kenaz Williams (Johan Peltier), Jomal Williams (Kemuel Rivers), Joevin Jones, Shahdon Winchester, Jerrel Britto, Hashim Arcia (Neil Benjamin)
Coach—Stuart Charles Fevrier
St. Ann’s Rangers—Shane Mattis, Akil Clarke, Devon Modeste, Hector Sam, Mikhail Awai, Kareem Young, Elijah Belgrave, Cameron Roget, Theon James,
Coach—Dean Pacheco
2011-12 Lucozade Sport Goal Shield
Quarter-Final Round results
W Connection 0—1 St. Ann’s Rangers
Devon Modeste 5’
Caledonia AIA 1—0 Police FC
Jamal Gay 66’
T&TEC FC (4)1—1(3) North East Stars
Brenton De Leon 5’ ; Seon Power 67’
(T&TEC won 4-3 on penalties)
Defence Force 4—1 San Juan Jabloteh
Christon Baptiste 50’, Levi Serries 57’, Richard Roy 70’, Josimar Belgrave 77’ ; Devon Jamerson 27’