First half goals by Hashim Arcia and Joevin Jones were just enough for defending Digicel Pro League Champions DIRECTV W Connection to grab a 2-0 win over St. Ann's Rangers on Friday night.
It's the second win for Connection this season against the St. Ann's club having registered a 2-1 comeback win in Round One.
Connection improved on that score-line by keeping a clean sheet on Friday's Round Two Match Day Three fixture at the Ato Boldon Stadium.
Connection jumped ahead in the 11th minute when a cross from Jerrel Britto on the right was finished past goalkeeper Akel Clarke at the back post by striker Arcia with a simple tap in the 1-0 advantage.
The Stuart Charles Fevrier-coached 'Savonnetta Boys' missed out on a second in the 19th minute with Stefano Rijssel hitting just wide after Britto played Kern Cupid cross into the path of the Surinamese striker.
Then a minute later off an intelligent sequence of passes, Arcia missed out on his second by guiding a shot just wide.
But Connection made it 2-0 in the 43rd minute thanks to a spectacular 35 yard strike from Jones.
After a neat exchange of passes from the right, Jones found room for himself in the middle and unleashed a left footed strike that fitted perfectly into the back of Clarke's net.
The result improved Connection with 16 points in third after 9 matches (5:2:2), while sixth positioned Rangers remain with 8 points from 9 matches (2:2:4).
Ahead of Connection remains Caledonia AIA in second position with 17 points and leaders Defence Force well ahead with 25 points.
Caledonia, with six regulars currently on trial in Turkey, suffered an unbelievable 5-1 defeat against the Soldiers in the second match on Friday night.
Rangers coming off last week's 1-0 win over bottom of the table T&TEC FC had a number of new additions during the December-January transfer window featured brothers Muhammad and Musa Nakhid, nephews of ex-Trinidad and Tobago star David Nakhid, in its starting lineup.
The duo's involvement may have helped Rangers hold off the Connection in the second period, but not avoid defeat.
Result
W Connection 2 - 0 St. Ann's Rangers
Hashim Arcia 11', Joevin Jones 43'
Teams
W Connection--Aquelius Sylvester, Elijah Joseph (capt.), Kern Cupid, Daneil Cyrus, Kurt Frederick, Gerrard Williams, Silvio Spann, Joevin Jones (Jomal Williams 80th), Hashim Arcia, Stefano Rijssel (Yellow Card) (Neil Benjamin 80th), Jerrel Britto (Andrei Pacheco 66th).
Coach--Stuart Charles Fevrier.
St. Ann's Rangers--Akel Clarke, Mikhail Awai (capt.), Musa Nakhid, Devon Modeste (Kerron Reid 76th) (Yellow Card), Jamal Jack, Cameron Roget, Muhammad Nakhid (Yellow Card), Kyle Bartholomew (Andrew Smith 52nd), Kadeem Drayton, Jovon Pardassie, Cecil Jeffrey (Devon King 61st).
Coach--Dean Pacheco.