“It’s all down to concentration. The team that concentrates longer will be the better team,” is the view of Adam’s Construction San Juan Jabloteh head coach Earl Carter on Friday’s upcoming Toyota Classic semi-final between his club and bitter rivals W Connection from 8pm at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium.
It’s the second meeting of the two teams this season with Jabloteh overcoming Connection 2-0 with goals by Hector Sam and Willis Plaza on Tuesday 01 November in a rescheduled Round One Match Day Three fixture of the Digicel Pro League Championship at the very same venue.
But on Friday, it’s an entirely different contest with a place in the 2011 Toyota Classic Final up for the taking.
“(We are coming with) nothing different really.” Carter said. “The push is to continue playing attractive football. I don’t want to be a coaching a team getting the results and not playing attractive football. We want to play attractive football and get the victories in the process.
Carter is also very wary of the ability of W Connection head coach Stuart Charles Fevrier adding, “I know Stuart is very methodical as a coach. So I know the weaknesses we exploited in the last game against them, he will be very astute in correcting those areas.
But after the game we will see if he has corrected those weaknesses or if we are consistent and even better in our play.”
Carter welcomed back Trinidad and Tobago U23 defender Sheldon Bateau into his squad from international duty with the Olympic team; however it wasn’t the same for defender Joel Leslie Russell who is said to be suffering an infection of some sort and out of selection for Friday’s contest.
Meantime number one goalie Cleon John, in-form forward Willis Plaza, Marvin Oliver, Karlon Murray, Elijah Manners, Luke Gullick, Kennedy Hinkson, Hector Sam, Devon Jamerson, Elton John, Jamal Jack, Reshad Wint and Andrew Smith are all available for selection on Friday.
“The players are excited,” continued the Jabloteh coach. “But one of the pitch falls that we must be wary of is that when you defeated a team before, you think that it’s easy the next time. We must go out and do the work because they are going to come prepared.”
Late goals by Marvin Oliver and Jamal Jack handed Jabloteh it’s 2-1 comeback win over Caledonia in the quarter-final round on Saturday at the Larry Gomes Stadium following a early second half strike by the Morvant/Laventille side’s Trayon Bobb.
“Definitely I would want some goals from (key striker) Plaza on Friday, but it’s also good to show that we are a complete team and not just dependant on goals from the forwards. Goals are not just coming from Plaza. It’s also coming from the midfield and defense which says a lot about our team.
We did not have a good first thirty minutes (against Caledonia) with our plays breaking down. We then got into the game but conceded a goal following the break from a defensive blunder. However we were able to bounce back. We have been making recovery in a lot of games this season. Although it shows character, it isn’t good having to come from behind so many times. But I think that’s something of the past now. We have worked on that problem,” ended Carter.
2011 Toyota Classic
Semi-Final Round
Friday 02 December
Mannie Ramjohn Stadium
T&TEC FC vs St. Ann’s Rangers—6pm
W Connection vs San Juan Jabloteh—8pm
Final
Friday 09 December
Mannie Ramjohn Stadium