T&TEC's current still flowing with 2-0 win over Jabloteh, Connection still in race

With just three rounds of matches left in the season, W Connection kept pace with a 4-1 hammering of DIRECTV North East Stars, setting up a showdown on Friday between T&TEC (35 points) and second-placed W Connection (33 points), from 8 p.m. at Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.

W Connection are also due to play Police on Tuesday and could be atop the League going into Friday's all-important meeting with T&TEC.

Head coach Dexter Cyrus and staff were in celebratory mood last Friday at Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva as debutants T&TEC continued to march toward the 2011-2012 Pro League title in their first season at the top level.

Cyrus raised a few eyebrows when keeping T&T first call keeper Marvin Phillip on the bench and giving former England-based veteran Ince a start. But, Ince looked well worth the gamble, especially early on when Jabloteh were rampant.

Ince kept T&TEC in the match with two early saves from Christon Thomas, including when the Jabloteh wide midfielder completely left his defenders trailing. Ince also fearlessly took a kick to the gut by diving at Willis Plaza's feet after the Jabloteh striker's powerful run had brushed aside four T&TEC tackles.

Ince's work kept the match goalless at the half, allowing striker Sylvester Teesdale to eventually give the "Electricity Boys" a 57th minute lead when he headed Andrei Pacheco's left-flank cross high past Jabloteh's standout custodian Cleon John.

The lead lasted just six minutes before Jason Marcano equalised from the centre of the penalty area. Plaza created confusion with a meandering run before Marcano swooped on the loose ball and sent his shot towards the far corner. Ince had no chance.

Once level, Jabloteh were energised, but a combination of inaccurate shooting and Ince's stellar work kept them from taking the lead. At one point, Plaza took Marcano's straight through-ball and was clear of defenders when he blazed a shot over the crossbar and Marcano also horribly turned a pass from Plaza wide from centre of the penalty area.

Coach Cyrus played all his cards, making full use of his substitutes, while his Jabloteh counterpart Earl "Spiderman" Carter largely kept the starting line-up until bringing on Akil James for out-of-sorts right back Rashad Wint in the 88th minute.

After taking the lead, Cyrus made a double change in the 60th when sending on sturdy Corneal Thomas for "hard-worked" central defender Anthony Noreiga and 30-year-old Baptiste also played an influential role after replacing Kevon Neaves, who had been very active up front earlier.

Cyrus also substituted Jamal Ayres in the 70th for Simeon Augustus.

Both T&TEC goals originated from the left flank where Wint had looked uninterested for most of the night and was hotly scolded several times by his teammates. And when given a little too much space by the under-pressure defender, Ayres swung in a perfect cross that led to Baptiste hanging in the air and heading the winner past keeper John in the 76th minute.

The Jabloteh goalie later made a couple of brilliant stops to keep the scoreline respectable as T&TEC finished the match the stronger. But even in the dying stages, Ince got down low to turn the ball away for a corner when Marcano sneaked a dangerous, low shot in at the near post. And just to show that he was not perfect, Ince suffered a bout of cramp late in the match. Someone joked it was arthritis.

T&TEC holds on to top spot.
ttproleague.com.

T&TEC FC held on to the top spot of the Digicel Pro League standings by shrugging off fifth positioned Adam’s Construction San Juan Jabloteh 2-1 at the Ato Boldon Stadium on Friday.

Former Jabloteh player, Kerry Baptiste was introduced in the second period by T&TEC head coach Dexter Cyrus and scored the winning item in the 76th minute when he slid in to direct Jamal Ayres cross past goalkeeper Cleon John for the 2-1 result.

The win kept T&TEC (35 points) two points ahead of second positioned W Connection (33 points) and three points away from third positioned Caledonia AIA (31 points).

Connection whipped DIRECTV North East Stars 4-1 at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium with Jerrel Britto (8th minute), Andre Quashie (22nd minute), Rennie Britto (76th minute) and Keon Quow (88th minute) all on the score-sheet while Ryan Stewart notched Stars’ only item in the 72nd minute.

And at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Caledonia enjoyed a 2-0 win over Rangers with second half goals by midfielder Ataullah Guerra (51st minute) and wingback Kareem Joseph (74th minute).

Bottom of the table Police FC and fourth positioned Defence Force completed the Round Three Match Day Five slate of matches with a goalless draw in the second clash at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium.

Cyrus’ decision to start Clayton Ince between the uprights paid off against Jabloteh with a former England based goalie pulling off a number of saves throughout the encounter.

Ince first pulled off a one handed save directing a Christon Thomas shot behind for a corner after Jabloteh exposed some slack defending by T&TEC in the 7th minute.

The former Trinidad and Tobago international then pulled off another in the 21st minute when Thomas was picked out on the right by a brilliant over the top ball by Jason Marcano.

Four minutes later T&TEC failed to steal the advantage when a long kick forward by Ince was taken nicely by Andrei Pacheco who left wingback Reshad Wint beaten, however Pacheco after failing to find his favoured left foot, muffed on a right footed shot which was easily handled by goalkeeper John.

Three minutes inside the second period John superbly kept out a Sylvester Teesdale effort with a low save after a smooth buildup by the “Electric Boys’.

And in the 52nd minute the Jabloteh goalie measured a brilliant strike from the right by Pacheco by punching it out.

Jabloteh had an opportunity in the 54th minute but striker Willis Plaza kicked overbar with only goalkeeper Ince to beat.

That rued effort was followed by T&TEC’s opening item when Teesdale broke the deadlock with a well placed header in the 57th minute beating a fully stretched John off Pacheco’s left side cross for the 1-0 score.

Jabloteh’s Jason Marcano responded in the 63rd minute hooking a shot past Ince to level the scores 1-1 after the ball bubbled away from Plaza inside the area.

T&TEC were back in front at the 76th minute with Baptiste’s item.

But the action continued with goalkeeper John having to pull off saves against Teesdale and Brenton De Leon in the 84th and 85th minutes respectively. And in the 90th minute Ince was also called into action to keep out a Marcano effort.

Teams

T&TEC FC—Clayton Ince (capt.), Anthony Noreiga (Yellow Card) (Coneal Thomas 59th), Brenton De Leon (Yellow Card), Simeon Augustus (Jamal Ayres 70th), Sylvester Teesdale, Kern Peters, Romauld Aguillera, Kevon Neaves (Kerry Baptiste 59th), Andrei Pacheco, Akeem Adams, Aubrey David

Coach—Dexter Cyrus

San Juan Jabloteh—Cleon John (capt.), Reshad Wint (Akil Clarke 85th), Devon Jamerson, Elijah Manners, Jason Marcano, Marvin Oliver (Yellow Card), Willis Plaza, Christon Thomas, Kennedy Hinkson, Elton John, Jamal Jack

Coach—Earl Carter