Morvant Caledonia United and Police FC both stormed into the Lucozade Sport Goal Shield semi-final round where they will meet each other from 6pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium on Friday April 15.
Jameel “Shooter” Neptune scored twice – one of which was a second half scorcher – while teammates Ordell Flemming, Pernell Schultz and substitute Sheldon Holder each had a goal for Caledonia, who had progressed from the qualifiers on Tuesday with a 3-1 win over Point Civic.
Neptune opened the scoring for the former champions in the 33rd minute when he swooped in the Defence Force area to direct Kareem Joseph’s right side cross beyond goalkeeper Sheldon Clarke to redeem himself after dragging an earlier effort inches wide of the far upright.
Defence Force, who defeated the “Eastern Stallions” 8-0 and 2-1 in the Digicel Pro League this season, were back on level terms when forward Devorn Jorsling, who troubled goalkeeper Marvin Phillip earlier with a low stinger, equalised from the penalty spot three minutes before the break.
Referee Dave Daniel awarded the spot kick, ruling that Marcus Ambrose had brought down Marvin Jones inside the area during a follow-up attack by Army after Phillip had parried a Kellon Serrette effort back into play.
However St. Kitts and Nevis international defender Ordell Flemming restored Caledonia’s one-goal advantage in stoppage-time of the first half with a glancing header to beat Clarke off a left side free-kick by Joseph.
Defence Force were lucky not to concede two minutes earlier when Schultz wasted wide from inside the box after he was set free behind the defence by a pass over the top by midfielder Akim Armstrong.
Caledonia recorded three more missed chances in a space of two minutes just over the hour mark by Holder, twice, and Schultz, as they continued to expose Defence Force, whose closest attempt to another goal arrived in the 56th minute when midfielder Hashim Arcia headed a corner onto the upright seconds before being substituted.
Defence Force head coach Marvin Gordon exercised his three substitutions in the second half but even that failed to avoid the Caledonia onslaught.
Guyana national teammates Holder and Schultz combined in the 68th minute for Caledonia’s third goal. Holder slipped a well-weighted pass and Schultz beat the offside trap before hitting past a hapless Clarke and coach Jerry Moe's “Eastern Stallions” with their eyes on the Lucozade Sport Goal Shield title were 3-1 ahead.
Neptune then completed his double in the 73rd minute with a screamer to find the far top corner of Clarke’s netting from outside the area. And the 5-1 demolishing of Defence Force, the side Caledonia also defeated (2-1) in the quarter-finals of this season’s First Citizens Cup last October, was completed in the 78th minute when Holder executed a cool finish past Clarke after he was teed up by Armstrong in the centre of the area.
Caledonia’s crosstown rivals Jabloteh entered Saturday’s second quarter-final game on a six-game unbeaten streak in the league but Police snatched a dream start and never looked back despite team captain Todd Ryan spilling a first half penalty strike after a handball was ruled against Adrian Reid in the area.
Just four minutes into play the “Lawmen” grabbed a 1-0 lead when left full-back Dexter Alleyne headed past Jabloteh goalkeeper Andrew Durant at the back post off a well-placed Kareem Freitas right side free-kick.
Coach Richard Hood's side eventually doubled the advantage 2-0 two minutes from the break when Makesi Lewis fight off his challenger to head over the line after Durant was only able to push Kareem Freitas strike high over his head.
Perry, who missed a good scoring chance in the 35th minute after controlling a pass beyond two defenders, redeemed himself ten minutes inside the second period for a 3-0 Police lead, which Jabloteh failed to rebound from.
Police goalkeeper Adrian Foncette had launched a goal-kick high up the field and Perry reacting to a flick on, with defender Aquil Selby in chase, kept his composure to hit past Durant.
Jabloteh will seek revenge on Tuesday when they meet Police again in the Digicel Pro League before the "Lawmen" face Caledonia in the Lucozade Sport Goal Shield semi-final one on Friday in Couva.
In semi-final two, defending champions Central FC are against rivals W Connection from 8pm but must first face each other in a league Couva Clásico on Tuesday from 8pm at the same Couva venue following a 6pm clash between Club Sando and Defence Force.
Also on Tuesday league fixtures, North East Stars will host Point Fortin Civic from 4pm at the Larry Gomes Stadium. And at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Caledonia and St. Ann's Rangers will contest each other from 7pm before Police battle Jabloteh from 9pm.
Results
Defence Force 1 (Devorn Jorsling 42' penalty) vs Morvant Caledonia United 5 (Jameel Neptune 33', 73', Ordell Flemming 45'+1, Pernell Schultz 68', Sheldon Holder 78')
San Juan Jabloteh 0 vs Police FC 3 (Dexter Alleyne 4', Makesi Lewis 43', Jameel Perry 55')
Teams
Defence Force: 25.Sheldon Clarke; 2.Glynn Franklyn (52.Stephan Campbell 46th minute), 4.Dave Long (11.Akeem Roach 67th minute), 8.Curtis Gonzales, 9.Devorn Jorsling, 10.Hashim Arcia (23.Kerry Joseph 56th minute), 13.Marvin Jones, 16.Kellon Serrette, 20.Levi Serries, 21.Aklie Edwards, 99.Jerwyn Balthazar (Capt.)
Unused substitutes: 1.Andre Marchan (GK), 7.Jelani Felix, 17.Ross Russell Jr., 18.Sean Narcis
Coach: Marvin Gordon
Morvant Caledonia United: 1.Marvin Phillip (Yellow Card); 3.Ranaldo Bailey, 4.Ordell Flemming (20.Jamaal Harvey 81st minute), 5.Maestro Mensah, 6.Marcus Ambrose (10.Sheldon Holder 46th minute), 12.Kareem Joseph, 16.Antonio Joseph, 17.Akim Armstrong, 19.Robert Primus, 22.Jameel Neptune, 28.Pernell Schultz (15.Otev Lawrence 75th minute)
Unused substitutes: 8.Anthony Charles, 11.Abdallah Phillips, 15.Otev Lawrence, 24.Gregson President, 34.Stephon Seepersad (GK)
Coach: Jerry Moe
Match Referee: Dave Daniel
Teams
San Juan Jabloteh: 35.Andrew Durant; 2.Noel Williams (14.Sean Bonval 60th minute), 6.Akeem Benjamin, 7.Jamal Gay (23.Kennedy Hinkson 69th minute), 8.Keyon Edwards, 11.Damian Williams (Capt.), 13.Fabien Reid, 20.Aaquil Campbell (10.Tyrone Charles 56th minute), 21.Aquil Selby, 24.Adrian Reid, 27.Nathan Lewis
Unused substitutes: 4.Garth Thomas, 16.Kaashif Thomas, 18.Jevon Morris, 30.Shemel Louison (GK)
Coach: Keith Jeffrey
Police FC: 18.Adrian Foncette; 5.Anton Hutchinson, 6.Jibri Mc David, 9.Makesi Lewis, 10.Kareem Freitas, 14.Kaaron Foster (8.Kurdell Braithwaite 78th minute), 15.Jameel Perry (23.Kevin Lewis 71st minute), 17.Dexter Alleyne, 20.Elijah Belgrave, 21.Todd Ryan (Capt.), 26.Clevon Mc Fee (16.Keon Wilson 69th minute)
Unused substitutes: 2.Jasimar Ashers, 24.Devon Jamerson, 28.Kern Caesar (GK), 30.Dylon King
Coach: Richard Hood
Match Referee: Callum Marshall