Teams with the ambition of hacking the unbeaten stretch of form boasted by the 2013/2014 Digicel Pro League leaders DIRECTV W Connection are only realising the true difficulty along the way.
On Friday night Connection met second positioned North East Stars in a top of the table Round Two Match Day Four tie at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, and just as they did in Round One, the “Savonnetta Boys” registered a 2-0 win over the Sangre Grande club.
Talented and improved Connection forward Shahdon Winchester, who spent most of 2013 at Finland’s FF Jaro, where he is scheduled to return in March, was the torn in coach Angus Eve’s side from the first blow of referee Keilon Bacchus’ whistle.
Winchester, scorer of a double in a 4-1 win over San Juan Jabloteh on Tuesday, added his third item of the week for coach Stuart Charles Fevrier’s side when he blasted a 25 yard strike to beat a fully stretched goalkeeper Cleon John just inside the upright for a 1-0 Connection lead by the 27th minute.
Four minutes later teammate Joevin Jones tried his luck from distance and only missed the crossbar by a few inches. And in the 89th minute Jones’ brother Alvin Jones tested John with a free-kick from distance, but his effort was pushed wide for a corner by the Stars’ goalie.
However Joevin sealed the 2-0 victory in the 90th minute when he pounced on a rebound, hitting into an open net after John had blocked out an initial effort by 19 year-old new Connection signing, Surinamese forward Demitrie Apai.
The debuting Apai, who replaced striker Hashim Arcia twenty minutes earlier, had outraced a pedestrian mimicking Aquil Selby to let off a powerful curling effort from an angle.
The Round Two Match Day four victory improved Connection’s pole position with 32 points, a 10:2:0 record, and a 15-points lead.
Stars, with a side netting effort by forward Trevin Caesar in the 53rd minute as their closest effort, remained second on the standings with 17 points, as does third positioned Police FC, only behind by goal-difference.
Police FC had defeated Jabloteh 2-1 in the earlier match of Friday’s double header at the Port of Spain venue, and in the process spoiled a few debuts of their opponents.
A first half goal by forward Jameel Perry and a late winner by substitute Elijah Belgrave did the trick for coach Richard Hood.
Perry fired Police 1-0 in front from close up in the 37th minute after debuting Jabloteh goalkeeper Shane Mattis had blocked out an initial effort by Jameel’s brother, Kareem Perry, who casually weaved his way inside the area.
The “Lawmen” were dominating the chances but were put on the defence too as Jabloteh head coach Keith Jeffrey utilized newcomer Bradley Welch up front, in the absence of card-suspended Kerry Baptiste, Mattis in goal, and defensive signing Kareem Smith in the starting lineup.
But Welch, a former New York FC (USL Pro) player, only got close around the half hour mark with a well taken volley off a long pass forward by Rennie Britto, who also had a couple efforts himself.
Jeffrey later introduced another new signing, former Caledonia AIA and Joe Public player Jean-Luc Rochford in the 61st minute, and by the 77th minute the former Trinidad and Tobago Youth World Cup midfielder leveled the score 1-1.
Rochford, known to be ambitious from distance, executed a strike that took height and dipped in time to find the back of goalkeeper Adrian Foncette’s net.
But Hood pulled a trick out of his hat as well, replacing Jameel Perry with Belgrave ten minutes from time.
It was not until the 90th minute that Belgrave handed his side the match winner, with his trademark strike for 2-1 finish. The defender-turned-forward turned away from Smith above the area and unleashed a powerful blast that Mattis just couldn’t meet.
Round Two Match Day Four continues on Saturday when Central FC travels to the Mahaica Oval against home side Point Fortin Civic FC from 3.30 pm.
Central are set to showcase new signings Trinidad and Tobago forward Willis Plaza, ex-T&T international and LA Galaxy defender Yohance Marshall, former T&T U-17 and U-20 Youth World Cup captain Leston Paul and Samuel Delice.
But the “Central Sharks” are up against the smoking guns of Point Fortin Civic, predominantly that of attacking midfielder Marcus Joseph, scorer of two hat-tricks in four days.
Joseph, a former T&T Youth World Cup player, registered his first hat-trick in Saturday’s 5-0 trouncing of Police FC, and tricked again in Tuesday’s 3-0 drubbing of St. Ann’s Rangers.
Results
San Juan Jabloteh 1—2 Police FC
Jean-Luc Rochford 77’ ; Jameel Perry 37’, Elijah Belgrave 90’
North East Stars 0—2 W Connection
Shahdon Winchester 27’, Joevin Jones 90’
Teams
San Juan Jabloteh—30. Shane Mattis, 7. Rennie Britto (C) (9. Jelani Felix 77th), 12. Jamal Spencer, 6. Dario Holmes, 16. Nyron Jones (4. Jean-Luc Rochford 61st), 24. Kareem Smith, 20. Dwane James, 18. Jevon Morris, 15. Micah Lewis, 8. Bradley Welch, 14. Shaquille Bertrand (21. Neil Mitchell 61st)
Unused substitutes—19. Dillon Kirton, 25. Alfie James, 3. Lekion Elie, 26. Keino Goodridge
Coach – Keith Jeffrey
Police FC—18. Adrian Foncette, 21. Todd Ryan (C), 2. Jasimar Ashers, 5. Anton Hutchinson, 6. Kenaz Williams, 8. Akiba Peters, 10. Trent Noel, 11. Kareem Perry (39. Joel Kevin Lewis 67th), 15. Jameel Perry (20. Elijah Belgrave 80th), 19. Christon Thomas, 27. Clevon McFee
Unused substitutes—1. Errol Charles, 12. Vernell Ramirez, 25. Kemron Purcell, 30. Jamal Francois (GK)
Coach—Richard Hood
Match Referee—Keilon Bacchus
Teams
North East Stars—22. Cleon John (C), 4. Keithy Simpson, 5. Aquil Selby, 6. Jeromie Williams (40. Jomoul Francois 75th), 8. Keron Cummings, 12. Jayson Joseph, 15. Chike Sullivan (7. Elijah Manners 70th), 19. Glenton Wolfe (Yellow Card) (41. Neveal Hackshaw 84th), 20. Trevin Caesar, 23. Kennedy Hinkson, 25. Keryn Navarro
Unused substitutes—1. Stefan Berkeley (GK), 9. Akiel Guevara, 18. Kaashif Thomas, 48. Jesus Perez
Coach—Angus Eve
W Connection—22. Aquelius Sylvester, 3. Gerard Williams (C), 14. Hashim Arcia (32. Demitrie Apai 70th), 7. Silvio Spann (13. Devaughn Elliot 85th), 16. Shahdon Winchester (Yellow Card), 19. Leslie Joel Russell, 65. Neil Benjamin Jr. (4. Daneil Cyrus 75th), 2. Kurt Frederick (Yellow Card), 10. Joevin Jones, 15. Mekeil Williams, 39. Alvin Jones
Unused substitutes—18. Julani Archibald (GK), 25. Christian Viveros, 11. Tremain Shayn Paul, 31. Jerrel Britto
Coach—Stuart Charles Fevrier
Referee—Neil Brizan