Marcano rescues Central against Stars, after Glen super strike

On Saturday in the second match of a double header at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Marcano set up an equalizer before snatching the winner—all in a space of two minutes, following a super strike by North East Stars forward and former player of Fenwick at San Juan Jabloteh, Cornell Glen.

Central later held on to win the Round Two Match Day Seven Digicel Pro League contest 2-1, but remained fifth on the standings with 18 points, while the Stars are one spot higher in fourth with 20 points. Both teams remain with a match in hand against each other, but sits nowhere near leaders Defence Force (33 points) and second positioned Caledonia AIA (29 points).

Meantime defending champions DIRECTV W Connection occupies third position with 25 points.

Glen, playing the hero role upfront for Stars’ Head Coach and former assistant to Fenwick at Jabloteh, Angus Eve, fired the Sangre Grande club ahead in the 23rd minute with probably the best goal this season.

The over-looked Trinidad and Tobago World Cup striker unleashed a left-footed blast from well outside the area to beat fully stretched goalkeeper Marvin Phillip into the roof of the net after turning past defender Fabien Lewis to meet Akiel Guevara’s long kick forward.

Ten minutes later Central midfielder Hayden Tinto was denied by the upright after teaming up with high profile forward Byers, who has just one goal since joining the ‘Sharks’ at the beginning of January.

Byers remains less than a shadow of the player that played under Fenwick back in 2007 at Jabloteh, top-scoring in the league and having a good run in 2008 before moving to Montreal Impact midway through the season.

But in the 34th minute Marvin Oliver was clinical with a glancing header off a Marcano cross to beat his former Jabloteh teammate, goalkeeper Cleon John to level the scores.

And a minute later Marcano blasted Central ahead 2-1 from outside the area beating a fully sprawled John following a buildup involving Tinto and Byers.

North East Stars failed to recover despite pressing the Central and creating openings. Apart from a clear miss by Kerry Baptiste and having two penalty shouts waved on by referee Rashby McPhie, who ejected Eve for dissent following the second protest, North East Stars defender Glenton Wolfe was denied by goalkeeper Phiilip from close up when substitute Marcus Gomez played in a low cross.

Coming off an exciting weekend which saw Defence Force held 1-1 by T&TEC FC; Caledonia shake off St. Ann’s Rangers 4-2; and Connection dump Police 5-2, the league action continues on Wednesday with a rescheduled Round Two Match Day Six fixture between Rangers and Police from 6pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium.

Results

North East Stars 1—2 Central FC
Cornell Glen 23’  ;  Marvin Oliver 34’, Jason Marcano 35’

Teams

North East Stars—Cleon John (capt.), Kareem Moses, Kerry Baptiste (Marcus Gomez 64th) (Yellow Card), Kevon Villaroel, Jeromie Williams, Cornell Glen, Akiel Guevara (Micah Lewis 54th), Kaashif Thomas (Keithy Simpson 72nd), Glenton Wolfe, Kennedy Hinkson, Keryn Navarro.

Coach—Angus Eve.

Central FC—Marvin Phillip (capt.), Omar Charles (Yellow Card), Hayden Tinto (Darrell Mitchell 60th), Anthony Wolfe (Yellow Card), Marvin Oliver, Peter Byers, Justin Fojo, Carey Harris, Jason Marcano, Fabien Lewis, Jameel Neptune.

Coach—Terry Fenwick.

Caledonia survive Rangers scare; Central edge Stars
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868)

Neal & Massy Caledonia AIA pulled within four points of leading Digicel Pro League football club, Defence Force, with a 4-2 win over St Ann’s Rangers yesterday evening at the Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya.

But the result was not nearly as straightforward as it might seem as Rangers twice nullified Caledonia’s advantage and always threatened as the “Eastern Stallions” struggled defensively.

There were only seconds left on the clock when Caledonia substitute Sheldon Holder finally secured the desired result with a low strike into the far corner that ended Rangers’ resistance.

The second match of Saturday’s double header was filled with anxiety too as fifth placed Central FC held off fourth placed North East Stars to emerge 2-1 winners at Macoya.

Never let it be said that combustible English coach Terry Fenwick does not get his share of good fortune from match officials.

Referee Rashby McPhie turned down two penalty appeals from the Stars—after Central goalkeeper Marvin Phillip took ball and man in confrontations with Cornell Glen and Keithy Simpson—and ejected the Sangre Grande-based coach Angus Eve for dissent as the “Couva Sharks” shaved a close battle.

Fenwick, a former England World Cup defender, is renowned for building solid, defensive teams and he might be on the way to doing so at Central too. He has only been with the Pro League rookies for seven weeks, so far.

But, yesterday evening, Fenwick’s team struggled to live with the pace, movement and strength of his former San Juan Jabloteh employee and World Cup 2006 attacker Cornell Glen.

Central had virtually dominated the opening 24 minutes of the game until Glen touched the ball.

Stars left back Kevon Villaroel played a trademark long, diagonal pass to Glen and the striker gracefully spun to the right of Central defender Fabien Lewis before, in one flowing movement, crashing a left footed volley from just outside the box that flew past Phillip and into the roof of the net.

Glen, fairly or not, earned a reputation for being a grouch over the years and it was apparently a personality clash that kept him out of the Caribbean Cup squad. But with gems like this—and it was his 15th goal in all competitions this season—he could yet convince the national technical staff that he is worth the trouble.

Central did not take long to conjure up a response.

In the 33rd minute, winger Hayden Tinto drifted inside to take possession on top the Stars box and smashed an effort of goalkeeper Cleon John’s left upright. A minute later, Central was level as veteran 37-year-old playmaker Marvin Oliver drifted into the penalty area to steer a header past John off a Jason Marcano cross.

Marcano, a breath of fresh air for Central since his January move from Rangers, then scored his third goal in six games with a powerful strike from distance after a flowing move that involved Tinto and Antiguan striker Peter Byers.

It was Central’s best move of the match and the “Sharks” never came close to recreating it.

Instead, Stars upped the ante.

Kerry Baptiste muffed two excellent scoring chances inside the opposing area while Simpson and Glen were both denied penalties and teenaged striker Marcus Gomez terrorised Central left back Jameel Neptune without quite finding the killer pass.

And Fenwick must have been a relieved man at the final whistle.

It was not much more comfortable for Caledonia.

A headed goal from Akim Armstrong, off a corner kick from Argentine dead ball specialist Miguel Romeo, gave the Stallions a one-goal lead at the halftime interval. But lazy defending from Caledonia’s front men offered Rangers enough space to launch counter attacks and the latter team pulled level in the 50th minute.

Rangers right back Ryan O’Neil slid a long diagonal ball for striker Devon Modeste to run on to and he crossed intelligently for winger Keifer Edwards to bury home on his debut.

The two teams continued to trade blows with Holder denied by Rangers goalkeeper Akel Clarke in the 58th minute. But, within seconds, Tyrone Clarke was running at the Caledonia defence and Muhammad Nakhid just failed to get at the end of his cross. And, in the 62nd minute, Modeste collected another O’Neil cross and acrobatically volleyed off the heel of the post.

Caledonia, for more reasons than one, barely deserved to go ahead in the 65th minute.

Clarke rushed off his goalline to deny Holder as the two players collided. An experienced goalkeeper would have immediately and loudly signalled that he was unable to continue. Instead, Clarke sat up as though he was at a picnic and waited for the whistle.

Referee Gordon Maloney was following the ball though and Keyon Edwards took possession and drove the rebound into the corner.

It was only during Caledonia’s celebrations that Clarke decided to lie on his back. Maloney allowed the goal to stand while the injured goalkeeper was replaced by Zane Coker after a lengthy delay.

Yet, Rangers still found another reply through predatory front man, Modeste, who ran between his markers before rounding Caledonia custodian Shemel Louision for his team’s second equaliser.

It was Modeste’s eighth item this season, which was exactly half of Rangers’ 16 League goals. Not too shabby for a player who began the season at right back.

But Caledonia struck back through another set piece in the 81st minute as Edwards headed in a left side Romeo while, in the 89th minute, Holder finally gave the Caribbean champions an insurance item as he ran on to a ball over the top and finished with a clinical drive into the far corner.

Caledonia is still in the Pro League title hunt. But the Stallions might need to be significantly better to keep their momentum next Friday when they face Glen’s North East Stars.

(Teams)

Caledonia AIA (4-2-2-2): 1.Shemel Louision; 12.Kareem Joseph, 20.Akeem Thomas, 4.Colin Nelson, 2.Aubrey David; 7.Stephan David (captain), 22.Miguel Romeo; 17.Akim Armstrong (19.Nical Stephens 86), 27.Nathan Lewis (28.Sheldon Holder 57); 9.Keyon Edwards, 6.Trevin Caesar (29.Jamille Boatswaim 80).

Unused substitutes: 33.Glenroy Samuel, 5.Aquil Selby, 16.Odelle Armstrong, 24.Shemol Trimmingham.

Coach: Jerry Moe.

St Ann’s Rangers (4-4-1-1): 22.Akel Clarke (1.Zane Coker 68); 30.Ryan O’Neil, 6.Musa Nakhid, 17.Dwayne James, 23.Kadeem Drayton; 16.Kurdell Braithwaite (29.Cecil Jeffrey 57), 15.Mikhail Awai (captain), 18.Muhammed Nakhid, 11.Keifer Edwards; 7.Tyrone Charles; 10.Devon Modeste.

Unused substitutes: 2.Alfie James, 19.Marvin Lee, 24.Jovon Pardassie, 28.Shem Alexander.

Coach: Dean Pacheco.

Referee: Gordon Maloney.