Tobagonian trialist Gem Gordon scored twice and set up another on Sunday to lift English League 1 outfit Walsall FC to a late 3-2 come-from-behind win against a TT Pro League XI at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.
Walsall were trailing 2-0 from a goal each by teenaged DIRECTV W Connection players Jomal Williams and Neil Benjamin Jr. and the chips were down for the Englishmen before being rescued by the 1976 Tobago Phoenix forward Gordon.
Gordon pulled a goal back in the 74th minute, reducing the deficit 1-2 when he slipped a low strike past Pro League second half goalie Glenroy Samuel, of Caledonia, after some loose defending in and around the area.
Gordon then got to his double, leveling the scores 2-2, two minutes later (76th minute) when his strike from the top of the area defeated the outstretched legs of Samuel, who could only watch on, as the ball floated into the back of the net.
But that wasn’t all from the 19 year old Gordon.
Two minutes from time, Gordon turned provider, playing a pass to Troy Hewitt who then buried a strike past the right of Samuel for the 3-2 score and snatched the challenge trophy, while Gordon was named MVP.
“I’m just looking for a chance,” Gordon told ttproleague.com following the match. “A chance to go out there and get recognised … as they say, the next Dwight Yorke of Tobago.
“I’m very elated. I am really proud of myself, and I have to thank the Walsall players for (providing me the passes) to play to the best of my ability. I also give thanks to (Central FC managing director) Brent Sancho for giving me (this opportunity) and my (Tobago Phoenix) club coach Terry Williams.”
Gordon, who also scored one in Walsall’s 3-1 win over a Phoenix/Stokely Vale combine in Tobago last Friday, said he is enjoying every bit of the trial and that the Walsall players are very friendly and welcomed him to the team.
Walsall Head Coach Dean Smith said, “We came out here to get ourselves fit, but at the same time have a look at some of the players and the untapped potential in this league, and there are certainly some that we have seen tonight (Sunday).
“I’m not sure about all their names, to be honest, but the young Tobagonian that’s on trial with us. He got MVP, scored a couple goals and had one assist as well. He impressed us in the right place, centre half, as well.”
However Gordon must continue to impress Smith over the next two days, including in Tuesday’s match against Central FC from 7pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
“It’s a possibility,” said Smith when asked whether or not the club will sign Gordon. “We will monitor him closely and see how it goes. We’ve got another game against Central and a couple of training sessions, so we will see where it goes.”
Should Smith be reminded that it was Gordon who steered ‘The Saddlers’ away from the embarrassment of defeat against the Pro League XI which had just one training session under coaches Ross Russell and Jamaal Shabazz prior to Sunday’s match?
Walsall’s Danny Griffiths unleashed a right footer from above the area in the 25th minute that looked destined for the back of the net, but Defence Force goalie Kevin Graham produced a fine save to put ‘The Saddlers’ best effort of the half, behind for a corner.
But from then on, the Pro League XI first half squad (Graham, Kareem Joseph, Rodell Elcock, Kareem Moses, Kevon Villaroel, Akim Armstrong, Nathan Lewis, Jeromie Williams, Mikhail Awai, Williams and Devorn Jorsling)—most of which have been inactive since the end of last season—looked in control of the visitors despite a bit of rustiness.
In the 27th minute Jorsling, who top scored for the Digicel Pro League champions Defence Force last season, had a clear look at goal after making room for himself above the area, however the soldier failed to trouble goalkeeper Liam Roberts by hitting wide.
The opening item then followed in the 32nd minute when talented midfielder Williams, who was picked out by an Armstrong pass, clinically rifled a low shot past Roberts from above the area for a 1-0 Pro League XI advantage.
And two minutes later Williams failed to trouble Roberts when he sliced an effort into the area after a promising buildup from the left.
The Caledonia AIA duo of Nathan Lewis and Akim Armstrong on the flanks was too much for ‘The Saddlers’ to handle, but that didn’t convert into goals. Lewis, who troubled goalkeeper Roberts early into the match, had another effort in the 38th minute but that was overbar.
Pro League XI coaches Russell and Shabazz then gambled it all by replacing the entire starting line-up with Samuel, Gerard Williams, Nuru Abdullah Muhammad, Elton John, Jayson Joseph, Keyon Edwards, Ross Russell Jr., Jemel Sebro, Marcus Gomez, Benjamin Jr. and Trevin Caesar, mainly to give the opportunity to play against the English club.
“The exercise really was to put the Pro League on show,” said Russell who led Defence Force to a second League championship in three seasons. “… and I think the crowd that was here got into it and really enjoyed it. I think that could improve the Pro League by people telling people how good the game was. I know Walsall will give us a lot of respect (now), because I know they weren’t expecting a competition like this, at this time of the year. So I think we did our job of putting the Pro League on the map.”
Just three minutes inside the second period Benjamin Jr. had a great opportunity to find the back of the net from close up, but what seemed an intended squared pass, lacked pace to reach its target and was cleared by Walsall.
But the 18 year old was solid in the 54th minute when he picked up a pass inside the area and wasted no time in blasting a low strike past Walsall’s Roberts for a 2-0 cushion.
The Pro League XI had another goalscoring opportunity in the 57th minute on a quick counterattack down the right by Sebro, but after touching inside the area the Defence Force winger stuck his effort directly at goalkeeper Roberts.
And it was Sebro that threaded a pass to 18-year old Gomez of North East Stars who tried an audacious chip from distance against Roberts in the 67th minute.
In the end, a late double by Gordon and one from trialist Hewitt, who earlier forced saves out of Samuel, were the ones celebrating. ‘The Saddlers’ even shaved the upright in injury time with an effort from Sam Mamtom.
“It was a really tough test for us,” explained Smith following the match.
The Walsall coach added, “We brought 20 players out here, we’ve got a couple trialists from Trinidad and Tobago teams and we are trying out different things during our pre-season. It was really tough. It’s a really good comeback from the second half team coming from two goals down. It was a really tough test for us, mentally and tactically.
“I’m really pleased that we have been invited out here. It’s a great test for us against the players. There are a number of players that looked really well (in our team), but there are also some in the Pro League team as well. It’s been a great journey so far, people in Trinidad and Tobago have been very welcoming to us and we hope to be invited again.
“We’ve got another game on Tuesday against Central FC. It should be another tough game and we’re looking forward to it. For us it’s about fitness and getting ready for the start of our season. We certainly made a lot of new friends and had a lot of tough challenges, so it has been really good for us,” ended ‘The Saddlers’ coach.
Pro League XI - Kevin Graham (Glenroy Samuel 46th), Kareem Joseph (Elton John 46th), Rodell Elcock (Gerard Williams 46th), Kareem Moses (Nuru Abdullah Muhammad 46th), Kevon Villaroel (Ross Russell Jr. 46th), Akim Armstrong (Jemel Sebro 46th), Nathan Lewis (Neil Benjamin 46th), Jeromie Williams (Keyon Edwards 46th), Mikhail Awai (Jayson Joseph 46th), Jomal Williams (Marcus Gomez 46th), Devorn Jorsling (Trevin Caesar 46th).
Walsall FC - 23. Liam Roberts (GK), 18. Ben George, 5. Dean Holden, 4. Andy Butler (Capt), 15. James Chambers (3. Mal Benning 42nd), 11. Ashley Hemmings, 6. Nick Featherstone, 19. Jake Heath, 24. Danny Griffiths, 22. Rundell Winchester (trialist), 16. James Baxendale.
Used substitutes - Troy Hewitt (trialist), Gem Gordon (trialist), Omari Sterling-James, Reece Flanagan, Sam Mantom, Ben Purkiss, Paul Downing, Dwight Pope (trialist).
Unused substitutes - Richard O'Donnell (GK), Adam Chambers, Kieron Morris.