Midfielders Jean-Luc Rochford and Micah Lewis scored on either side of the break on Thursday to lead San Juan Jabloteh to a 2-0 play-off win over St. Ann’s Rangers to advance into the quarter-final round of the 2014 Lucozade Sport Goal Shield.
The San Juan club advances to meet defending champions and two-time winners W Connection on Saturday from 5 pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium in QF A, followed by 2010 winners North East Stars against Police FC in QF C from 7 pm.
However the round will kick off on Friday at the Couva venue when Central FC meets Caledonia AIA in QF B from 6 pm, and tournament-debuting Point Fortin Civic against two-time defeated finalists Defence Force in QF D from 8 pm.
“We have some friends at Central in (former players) Marvin Oliver and Ataullah Guerra, and we love to play and compete against them,” said Caledonia AIA coach Jamaal Shabazz during Wednesday’s launch of the Lucozade Sport Goal Shield at Capital Plaza in Port of Spain.
This season's edition, the unique tournament, based on its cash for goals incentive, will see the winners take away an increased base prize, from $20,000 to $30,000 and $3,000 for every goal scored in the Final, $2,000 for every goal scored in the semi-final, and $1,000 for every goal scored in the quarter-final round.
While the runners-up prize structure pays out a $10,000 base amount and $1,500 for every goal scored in the Final, $1,000 for every goal scored in the semi-final, and $500 for every goal scored in the quarter-final round.
There are also cash incentives for the leading goal-scorer, most outstanding player, most outstanding coach, and the “Lucozade Sport Goal Pot” for spectators from the semi-final round.
“We are looking forward to a very exciting game,” said Central FC head coach Terry Fenwick.
He also suggested the need for top refereeing, adding, “Our game will be tremendous, because Jamaal is quite right, ‘we don’t like each other’, and across that sideline there would be friction and fire, so make sure the game is right and we’d come out with top result.”
Meanwhile Defence Force head coach Ross Russell said it’s a great opportunity for his troubled side.
“We are looking to get what we can right now,” he said. “The Lucozade Sport Goal Shield came at the right time, because we are really thirsty for (a title) because we haven’t won anything all season and are only now catching a bit of form. “
At the Larry Gomes Stadium on Thursday afternoon Jabloteh booked themselves into the tournament quarter-final round by getting the better of Rangers a fourth time this season.
While Rangers led by coach Anthony Streete in his first match as caretaker – the position he took up 15 days ago – of his former club, must prepare again for Jabloteh in under a week, as both teams are expected to meet on Tuesday in Round Three Match Day Six of the Digicel Pro League.
Rangers were trailing 0-1 from as early as the 5th minute when a well-placed Rochford free-kick from 24-yards out clipped the inside of the upper corner before nestling into back of goalkeeper Akel Clarke’s net.
Two minutes earlier Clarke was spared when Neil Mitchell squandered on a one-on-one, and two minutes inside the second period Kerry Baptiste’s header off Rochford’s corner crashed off the Rangers crossbar.
But in the 61st minute Clarke was beaten again for a 2-0 Jabloteh cushion when Lewis received a Baptiste pass, ran into the area, and finished low into the right corner.
Clarke, however, was brilliant in the 76th minute, pushing over-bar an ambitious Jamal Spencer strike from outside the area.
On the opposite end, Jabloteh’s 18-year-old Shundelle Myers, in first appearance with the senior team due to goalkeeping woes, was forced into action once, tipping wide a Jelani Peters free-kick in the 24th minute. He later watched a Kadeem Corbin effort go wide in the 88th minute, but surely, his true test should come against Connection on Saturday once selected.
2014 Lucozade Sport Goal Shield Play-off result
San Juan Jabloteh 2—0 St. Ann’s Rangers
Jean-Luc Rochford 5’, Micah Lewis 61’
Quarter Final Round Friday 4 April
Ato Boldon Stadium
Central FC vs Caledonia AIA (QF B)—6 pm
Point Fortin Civic vs Defence Force (QF D)—8 pm
Saturday 5 April
Ato Boldon Stadium
W Connection vs San Juan Jabloteh (QF A)—5 pm
North East Stars vs Police FC (QF C)—7 pm
Semi-Final Round Friday 11 April
Ato Boldon Stadium
Winner A vs Winner D
Winner B vs Winner C
Final Friday 25 April
Ato Boldon Stadium
Teams
San Juan Jabloteh—30. Shundelle Myers, 10. Kerry Baptiste (C) (9. Jelani Felix 81st), 24. Kareem Smith, 12. Jamal Spencer, 19. Dillon Kirton, 20. Dwayne James, 4. Jean-Luc Rochford, 2. Duran Dilworth (7. Rennie Britto 66th), 21. Neil Mitchell (23. Marcus Gomez 66th), 16. Nyron Jones (Yellow Card+Yellow Card), 15. Micah Lewis
Unused substitutes—1. Kevin Dodds (GK), 13. Savion Kirton, 17. Kerry Daniel, 6. Dario Holmes
Coach—Keith Jeffrey
St. Ann’s Rangers—1. Akel Clarke, 4. Jelani Peters (C), 7. Jemel Berot, 10. Kennedy Isles, 14. Michael Yaw Darko (26. Josh Toussaint 87th), 23. Trevin Latapy, 28. Kadeem Corbin, 33. Isaiah Mc Intyre, 39. Shaquille Moses, 44. Sedale McLean (31. Jameel Antoine 71st), 51. Keron Cornwall
Unused substitutes—12. Tevin Gilkes, 16. Keron Alexander, 18. Ryan Porter, 25. Terrence Lewis (GK), 49. Chad Clinton
Coach—Anthony Streete