Two in the first half and one in the second, striker Shahdon Winchester guided defending Digicel Pro League champions DIRECTV W Connection to a 3-0 win over neighbours Central FC at the Ato Boldon Stadium on Saturday night.
Central clearly showing early improvements under new Head Coach, Englishman Terry Fenwick in his first outing with the "Sharks", however an early second yellow card ejection on midfielder Anthony Wolfe was followed by two first half dents.
In the 27th minute Wolfe was shown his second yellow card and in quick sequence the red by referee Joel Davidson for a foul on Winchester some 23 yards out. This after Wolfe picked up his first booking for a rash challenge on Clyde Leon just two minutes into the match.
The Stuart Charles Fevrier-coached Connection utilized the advantage well with Winchester netting in the 32nd and 34th minutes to spoil Fenwick's return to the League.
A brilliant pass by Jerrel Britto to set Neil Benjamin free resulted in a fine strike by the teenager and an equally excellent save by goalkeeper Marvin Phillip.
However the rebound was pounded in by Winchester for a 1-0 advantage beating a good recovery by Phillip who got glove to the ball.
And an errant back pass by Central's December signing Omar Charles two minutes later, gifted Winchester's his second item in a space of three minutes, confidently chipping a hapless Phillip for a 2-0 Connection cushion.
Connection's confidence was also doubled and in the 42nd minute following neat buildup Hashim Arcia, who had Phillip into action in the 29th minute, was inches wide of the upright.
But credit to the ten-man Central matching Connection for nearly the entirety of the second period.
It was not until the 87th minute that Winchester disappointingly side-footed overbar from a Jerrel Britto cross with the goal at his mercy.
But the talented Connection striker made no mistake in the 93rd minute by blasting a powerful shot past Phillip completing his hat-trick and his side's 3-0 victory.
Connection jumped one spot up the ladder into third position with 12 points and a game in hand against Central who remains sixth on the table with 6 points.
North East Stars, previous holders of the third spot, slipped into fourth with 9 points after being edged 1-0 by Caledonia AIA in the second match on Saturday night at the Couva venue.
Caledonia with 16 points in second and with a match in hand, remained on the heels of leaders Defence Force(19 points) thanks to a first half strike by striker Trevin Caesar.
Central FC 0-3 W Connection
Shahdon Winchester 32', 34', 93'
Teams
Central FC--Marvin Phillip, Keion Goodridge, Marvin Oliver, Hayden Tinto (Hector Sam 85th), Anthony Wolfe (Yellow Card + Yellow Card), Omar Charles, Akeem Adams, Darryl Trim (Tyrone Charles 61st), Shaquille Nesbitt, Carey Harris, Marc Leslie (Sayid Freitas 85th).
Coach--Terry Fenwick.
W Connection--Aquelius Sylvester, Clyde Leon, Daneil Cyrus (Yellow Card), Elijah Joseph, Gerard Williams, Kern Cupid, Hashim Arcia, Jerrel Britto, Kurt Frederick, Shahdon Winchester, Neil Benjamin (Jomal Williams 75th).
Coach--Stuart Charles Fevrier.
Fenwick delighted with early response at Central.
Less than a week on the job, new Central FC Head Coach Terry Fenwick expresses a jovial mood despite suffering defeat in his first match in charge over the weekend.
In fairness, Fenwick had just one session with the 'Sharks' prior to Saturday's 3-0 Digicel Pro League Round Two Match Day One defeat against defending champs DIRECTV W Connection.
Further to that, Central played with 10 men after midfielder Anthony Wolfe received an automatic red card following cautions in the 2nd and 27th minutes.
"We played W Connection which is a good side in the League," said the ex-San Juan Jabloteh and four-time League winning coach. "...and I had just one session before which was really just scratching the surface."
The former England World Cup defender warned, "The more sessions we get, the tighter we become."
Following a training session on Tuesday morning at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Fenwick's third with the 'Sharks', the Seaham lad said, "I'm really enjoying it. Its great to be back in football and the boys seem to be really enjoying it.
"Its obviously different to what they had. They didn't have much structure."
Fenwick took over the spot left vacant by another Englishman Graham Rix. Rix a former Chelsea assistant coach returned home last December after mutually parting ways with Central according to one club official.
Fenwick will lead the 'Sharks' into his second match on Wednesday when Central tackle Shiva Boys College from 6pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium in the quarter final round of the FA Trophy.
"We're not underestimating anyone," Fenwick said. "I served as commentator for some of their(Shiva Boys) games and they are a good side and have some quality players."
In wrapping up his session on Tuesday morning, Fenwick said to his players: "As much as its a quarterfinal for them(Shiva Boys), its a training match for us. We do everything nice, simple and solid."
He later elaborated to ttproleague.com, "The point that I'm making to my guys this morning is that we've got to attack every game to win, but every game that we play now is a training game just to make sure that what we do on the training ground appears in the games.
"Its absolutely useless if we are working hard on the training ground and then when we get to the games I can't see it. So I've always been methodical about our work.
We train the way we play so everything is very competitive and I'm expecting us to be more than competitive (Wednesday) night," said Fenwick.