St. Ann’s Rangers striker Marvin Lee fired a superb hat-trick against Police FC on Wednesday night at the Ato Boldon Stadium in a rescheduled Digicel Pro League Round Two Match Day Six clash that ended 3-3.
The former Joe Public player first punched Rangers ahead, 1-0, just the 13th minutes into the match by poking in a low Ryan O’Neil cross past Police third choice goalie Anthony Marshall at near post.
And four minutes later, Rangers had a great opportunity to double the advantage when Muhammad Nakid was set free by a Devon Modeste pass; however the midfielder squandered his curling strike inches wide with only Marshall to beat and three supporting players at his disposal.
Police tried desperately to level the scores before the break but wasn’t successful till the second period.
In the 21st minute striker Jameel Perry failed a put a header off Dexter Alleyne’s cross on target, and in the 28th minute Rangers’ goalie Zane Coker pulled off a magnificent save to deny Todd Ryan’s effort destined for the far upper corner.
Winger Noel Williams then shaved the upright in the 45th minute with a glancing header off an Anton Hutchinson freekick whipped in from the right as the lawmen trailed a goal.
Williams was at it again two minutes inside the second period forcing a save out of Coker.
But Rangers doubled its advantage 2-0 in the 49h minute with Lee snatching his second on the night.
A quick release by Keifer Edwards on the right beating the outstretched legs of left-back Alleyne, allowed Modeste a free run into the area before slipping a pass to Lee inside the area to hammer past Coker.
However the St. Ann’s club relinquished the cushion by conceding three goals in quick succession.
Williams finally pulled one back for the Lawmen in the 53rd minute when he headed in a long Christon Thomas cross at the back post beating Coker to reduce the deficit 1-2.
Kareem Perry then leveled the scores 2-2 by the 57th minute with a low strike past Coker, and in the 60th minute the Rangers goalie was beaten again by a clinical Williams—second on the night—finish after he was set free by a Elijah Belgrave’s dissecting pass following an excellent buildup by the lawmen to overtake with a 3-2 score.
Police goalie Marshall chipped in with a excellent successive saves in the 65th minute; first blocking out a Modeste strike and thwarting the follow-up strike by Lee.
However Marshall was left beaten again in 67th minute by Lee who punished a lapse in the lawmen’s defense to wrap up his hat-trick.
A minute later, Police double goalscorer, Williams, was denied by Coker who thwarted the winger’s effort towards the far post.
Police then won a penalty in the 72nd minute after defender Dwane James hacked down Alleyne inside the area, but to the lawmen’s disappointment, Williams blasted high overbar from the spot.
Both teams defended valiantly in the later stages, settling for a point each as Police (11 points) maintained its sixth position on the league table and Rangers (10 points) in seventh.
Results
St. Ann’s Rangers 3—3 Police FC
Marvin Lee 13’, 49’, 67’ ; Noel Williams 53’, 60’, Kareem Perry 56’
Teams
St. Ann’s Rangers—Zane Coker, Mikhail Awai (capt.), Dwane James (Yellow Card), Ryan O’Neil, Devon Modeste, Jamal Jack (Tyrone Charles 58th), Musa Nakhid, Marvin Lee, Muhammad Nakhid, Kadeem Drayton (Dominic Hutchinson 63rd), Keifer Edwards (Yellow Card).
Coach—Dean Pacheco.
Police FC—Anthony Marshall, Todd Ryan (capt.), Elijah Belgrave, Anton Hutchinson, Christon Thomas (Kerry Frederick 83rd), Noel Williams, Jameel Perry (Aaron Stewart 69th) (Yellow Card), Kareem Perry, Jasimar Ashers, Clevon McFee, Dexter Alleyne (Kemron Purcell 89th).
Coach—Richard Hood.