DIRECTV North East Stars new Brazilian striker Jeronimo "Wendes" De Souza scored on his debut to rescue a draw with T&TEC, but it was W Connection who stole the spotlight after Friday's round of Digicel Pro League matches.
W Connection leapfrogged the "Electricity Boys" at the top of the standings by beating St Ann's Rangers 3-1 and taking full advantage of the 1-1 draw between previous leaders T&TEC and North East Stars. A ninth win in 15 matches put W Connection atop the Pro League with 27 points, one clear of T&TEC. And Caledonia AIA moved into third and joined T&TEC on 26 points after edging defending champions Defence Force 3-2, via an 89th minute goal from lanky Trinidad and Tobago national Under-23 striker Jamaal Gay.
And fourth-placed Adam's Construction San Juan Jabloteh (23 points) raced to an early three-goal lead before defeating Police 4-2.
W Connection were down early when former England-based Hector Sam scored in the fifth minute for Rangers. But W Connection netted twice in three minutes through young striker Johan Peltier (15th) and Jerrol Britto (18th) to lead 2-1 at the half. Rangers kept in touch until the 82nd minute when teenager Shahdon Winchester secured the points for the new leaders.
T&TEC might have expected a slender victory after taking a 42nd minute lead through wide midfielder Bevon Bass, but Brazilian Wendes announced his entrance in the Pro League with an injury-time equaliser for North East Stars.
Also losing late on were champs Defence Force. The Army-Coast Guard combination rallied from two goals down and looked to have secured a point, until Gay got Caledonia's winner a minute from the end.
Former Defence Force striker Devorn Jorsling (9th) and Ataullah Guerra (35th) gave Caledonia an early two-goal lead before Defence Force rallied through goals from Jemel Sebro (43rd) and speedy Kevon Carter (70th). Gay later spoiled it for the Army.
There will be no rest for W Connection, Caledonia AIA, San Juan Jabloteh and Defence Force since they all go back in action in today's round of 16 Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation FA Trophy matches.
W Connection will host defending champions San Juan Jabloteh at 7 p.m. in the second match of a double-header at Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, while Caledonia AIA face North East Stars in another all-Pro League clash from 4 p.m. at Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar. A total of eight FA Trophy matches take place today.
Connection takes lead, Jabloteh tames Police.
ttproleague.com.
W Connection returned to the top of the Digicel Pro League Championship on Friday night following an impressive 3-1 comeback victory over seventh positioned St. Ann’s Rangers at the Larry Gomes Stadium.
Trinidad and Tobago U23 players Johan Peltier, Jerrel Britto and Shahdon Winchester were all on target for the Stuart Charles Fevrier coached outfit following a 5th minute item by Rangers forward Hector Sam.
Connection (27 points) hurdled T&TEC FC (26 points) for the top spot on the ladder following Friday night’s Round Three Match Day Two fixtures which saw the ‘Electric Boys’ held to a 1-1 draw by DIRECTV North East Stars in the second match of a double header at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium.
Caledonia AIA are also with 26 points after pulling off a 3-2 win over defending League champs Defence Force in the second match at the Malabar venue but maintains third position with a lesser goals difference.
Fourth positioned Adam’s Construction San Juan Jabloteh (23 points) were also in winners row, holding out for a 4-2 win over bottom of the table Police FC in Marabella.
Jabloteh forward Willis Plaza netted twice (5th and 73rd mintues) to lead the goalscorers list with 10 goals in the Championship while teammates Jason Marcano (20th minute) and Marvin Oliver (31st minute) were also on target. Meantime Dexter Alleyne (53rd minute) and Weslie John (90th minute) were the scores for Police.
Eighty seconds into the first match at the Larry Gomes, Connection midfielder Clyde Leon wasted overbar in what should have had the Couva based club ahead after controlling a ball inside the area with only goalkeeper Shane Mattis to beat, however the Trinidad and Tobago international miscued his left-footed strike only to watch it sail just high and wide.
Rangers then took the steering wheel in the 5th minute when striker Sam comfortably slotted a low shot into the net off a rebound for a 1-0 advantage after Cameron Roget overpowered a challenge by Elijah Joseph on the left before firing on goal.
But that advantage was short-lived, when Connection found the back of the Rangers’ net twice in a space of three minutes to enjoy a 2-1 advantage.
In the 15th minute Hashim Arcia became provider, after being denied by the crossbar six minutes earlier, when he slipped a short pass on the left inside the area to Johan Peltier and the fleet footed winger made no mistake beating the Jamaican Rangers’ goalie.
Mattis was beaten again in the 18th minute Jerrel Britto made the simplest of finishes after latching onto a low pass on the right and finishing low into the far netting for Connection’s second item.
Rangers tried to recover but were only able to keep Connection at bay until the 82nd minute when striker substitute Shahdon Winchester, returning to the club from Vietnam, produced a world class strike by curling his effort out of Mattis’ reach and clipping the far upright before it nestled into the net for a 3-1 score.
As for Rangers, striker Roget was denied by goalkeeper Jan Michael Williams midway through the second half after unleashing a powerful shot on goal while teammate Sam had a couple wide efforts.
The Anthony Streete coached bunch was denied a second item in added on time when defender Clevon Mc Fee took it upon himself to unleash a shot from distance forcing a superb save out of Williams.
Teams
St. Ann’s Rangers—Shane Mattis, Akil Clarke (capt.), Kareem Moses, Javon Wilson, Clevon Mc Fee, Hector Sam, Elijah Belgrave, Devon Modeste, Kaashif Thomas (Marcus Chandool 70th), Cameron Roget, Keron Alexander (Trevonne Morris 75th).
Coach—Anthony Streete.
W Connection—Jan Michael Williams (capt.), Joel Leslie Russell, Elijah Joseph (Yellow Card), Kemuel Rivers (Jomal Williams 64th minute), Rennie Britto, Clyde Leon (Andre Quashie 70th), Gerrard Williams, Hashim Arcia (Shahdon Winchester 64th), Jerrel Britto, Joevin Jones, Johan Peltier.
Coach—Stuart Charles Fevrier.
Jorsling delivers again for Caledonia, T&TEC held by North East.
Striker Devorn Jorsling scored one and set up another on Friday night to thrust Caledonia AIA to a 3-2 victory over his former club Defence Force FC at the Larry Gomes Stadium in the second clash of a Digicel Pro League Championship Round Three Match Day Two double header.
And at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium DIRECTV North East Stars Brazilian import Jeronimo Wendes De Sousa, scored on debut in injury time to rescue the Sangre Grande club to a 1-1 draw against T&TEC FC.
T&TEC (26 points) slipped into second position on the 2011-12 standings following the draw while W Connection, 3-1 winners over St. Ann’s Rangers on Friday, moved to the top with 27 points.
Caledonia maintained its third position seating with 26 points, sitting behind T&TEC because of a lesser goals difference and Adam’s Construction San Juan Jabloteh 4-2 winners over Police FC are fourth with 23 points.
Jorsling, registered his seventh item since joining the Morvant/Laventille club in December, to fire Caledonia ahead in the 9th minute with a well placed low shot beating goalkeeper Kevin Graham at the neat post after picking up a freekick pass inside the area and turning quickly to slot the ball in for a 1-1 score over the Soldiers.
Teammate Ataullah Guerra, who was denied by Graham in the 13th minute, then doubled the Caledonia advantage for a 2-0 score in the 36th minute from outside the area with a clinical right footed shot which left the Soldiers temporarily bamboozled.
Defence Force pulled a goal back in the 45th minute, through Jemel Sebro who had the easy task of guiding in a square pass by Jerwyn Balthazar from close up past goalkeeper Ronson Williams, reducing the deficit 1-2.
Balthazar was probably the most feared Soldier of the first half unleashing a decent strike from distance in the 2nd minute after picking up a chested pass by teammate Richard Roy, and five minutes before setting up the Sebro item, he shaved the side netting with another attempt.
Defence Force then leveled the scores 2-2 when Kevon Carter from on the left inside the area smashed a low shot past Williams in the 70th minute.
But five minutes from time, dependable striker Jamal Gay calmly slotted past Graham to end a quick attack started from midfield with substitute Keyon Edwards playing Guerra and the talented midfielder’s quick pass to Jorsling was directed into the path of Gay.
Teams
Defence Force—Kevin Graham, Corey Rivers (capt.), Glynn Franklyn, Richard Roy, Kevon Carter, Jemel Sebro (Josimar Belgrave 55th), Jerwyn Balthazar (Yellow Card) (Balondemu Julius 81st), Sean Narcis, Rodell Elcock (Yellow Card), Aklie Edwards, David Long (Kerry Joseph 63rd).
Coach—Ross Russell.
Caledonia AIA—Ronson Williams, Stephan David (capt.) (Yellow Card), Nuru Abdullah Muhammad, Colin Nelson, Micah Lewis (Abdallah Phillip 82nd), Kareem Joseph, Trayon Bobb, Walter Moore, Jamal Gay, Ataullah Guerra, Devorn Jorsling (Yellow Card).
Coach—Jamal Shabazz.
2011-12 Digicel Pro League Championship
Full Round Three Match Day Two results
St. Ann’s Rangers 1—3 W Connection
Hector Sam 5’ ; Johan Peltier 15’, Jerrel Britto 18’, Shahdon Winchester 82’
Police FC 2—4 San Juan Jabloteh
Dexter Alleyne 53’, Weslie John 90’+2 ; Willis Plaza 5’, 73’, Jason Marcano 20’, Marvin Oliver 31’
Defence Force 2—3 Caledonia AIA
Jemel Sebro 43’, Kevon Carter 70’ ; Devorn Jorsling 9’, Ataullah Guerra 35’, Jamal Gay 89’
North East Stars 1—1 T&TEC FC
Jeronimo Wendes De Sousa 90’+ ; Bevon Bass 42’