A possible goal of the season, questionable refereeing, a penalty and two valuable shark-bites, all happened in the first halves of Friday night’s top-of-the-table Digicel Pro League double header.
League leaders DIRECTV W Connection played to a 1-1 draw against North East Stars, now undefeated in 8 matches.
And in the second match of the Round Three Match Day Four double header, Central FC, stretching their undefeated run to 13 matches, grabbed full points against Point Fortin Civic with a 2-0 win.
Connection, definitely dropping valuable points, are 41 points at the top and still favoured to lift the 2013/2014 league title, but chasing coach Stuart Charles Fevrier’s side are second positioned Central (35 points), North East Stars (33 points) up a spot in third, and Civic (32 points), who slipped a spot into fourth.
A crowded covered stand at the Couva venue received a treat, when on the 30th minute, Stars forward Trevin Caesar unleashed a superb volley from 15 yards out off Elijah Manners’ cross from the right to beat a stunned goalkeeper Julani Archibald for a 1-0 score.
Archibald, a talented young goalkeeper, failing to duplicate a save he executed against the Caesar three minutes earlier after the speedy Tobagonian forward was unleashed by a perfect Jayson Joseph through-ball.
Instead, Caesar celebrated his 12th league goal on the season to tie with Civic’s Marcus Joseph at the top of this season's scorers' list. However the item didn’t win the Angus Eve-coach side maximum points, and may have felt cheated by a questionable call a minute later.
Unfamiliar to the Pro League level, referee Marvin Pierre, who started in the middle while a much more experienced FIFA referee Neal Brizan occupied the fourth official seat, blew for a questionable penalty in the 31st minute.
Pierre was certain as he pointed to the spot, after Connection forward Jerrel Britto headed over-bar after clashing with defender Aquil Selby, who also contested a highball which had beaten goalkeeper Cleon John.
John was later beaten from the spot by a low powerful Joevin Jones strike which tied the scores 1-1.
But questions over referee Pierre were raised even before the penalty call, when in the 28th minute he only showed Connection defender Mekeil Williams a yellow card for a dangerous sliding challenge on Kennedy Hinkson off the ball.
Connection defender Daneil Cyrus was shown a yellow card for violent conduct, and Stars defender Selby the same for his involvement in a fracas following the foul on Hinkson.
Jones later missed out on his second by the 35th minute, hitting just wide after teammate Hashim Arcia nicked a low cross by Britto out of his comfort.
Jones returned the favour seven minutes inside the second period with a telling cross from the right, however Britto’s glancing header flew just high of the crossbar.
Britto had another header ten minutes from time, hitting the upright, off a left side cross by Kurt Frederick, who forced the first save of the match in the 25th minute.
Stars, meanwhile, failed to restore their advantage, but were surely happy for the improved result against a team that defeated them 2-0 in Round One and Round Two this season.
Archibald was forced to make three gathers against the Stars, now undefeated in their last eight matches, first gathering a header by Keryn Navarro in the 65th minute, then a Caesar strike in the 82nd minute, and a low stoppage time strike from distance by former Connection player and substitute Keron Cummings.
The 22-year-old St. Kitts/Nevis international goalie also saw his sticks threatened in the 73rd minute by a whistling strike from distance by Hinkson, which flew just wide of the upper corner.
In the second match Central scored twice in a space of three minutes despite being without influential midfielders Marvin Oliver and Atualla Guerra, both suspended on cards.
Defender Jamal Jack, used as a makeshift midfielder to supplement natural midfielders Leston Paul and Sean de Silva, celebrated his role with the opening item in the 31st minute.
Jack pounced one a free ball by blasting past goalkeeper Marvin Phillip from close range after Civic’s defence failed to clear a Jason Marcano free-kick from the left, which was missed by an overhead attempt by Yohance Marshall.
Rundell Winchester then made it 2-0 by the 33rd minute from close up, after a ball over the top by de Silva defeated the Civic defence, including Phillip.
Phillip later made a gather on de Silva’s half volley in the 44th minute after controlling a Marcano pass. And in the 76th minute the Point Fortin goalie was brilliant with a low save at the bottom corner, putting behind a strike by Willis Plaza following a neat string of passes by coach Terry Fenwick’s “Sharks”.
Civic, who suffered a 3-0 Round One defeat and played to a 0-0 draw in Round Two against Central, weren’t unable to beat goalkeeper Jan Michael Williams.
Williams produced a magnificent save in the 23rd minute, measuring an equally brilliant left-footed Marcus Joseph strike from 30-yards out and directed towards the far upper corner.
The rebound was blasted in by Andre Alexis, however from an offside position.
Alexis, onside in the 37th minute, had a low crack from the left but Williams made a confident stop, and did so again in the 89th minute against an effort by substitute Kendall Davis.
Davis, a late introduction by Civic head coach Reynold Carrington, had a great opening in stoppage time but spilled miserably high.
Civic ended with further disappointment after midfielder Andre Toussaint, who picked up a first half yellow card, was shown red seconds before the end by referee Gyasi Mc Donald.
Round Three Match Day Four will continue on Saturday at the Larry Gomes Stadium with sixth positioned Police FC against eight positioned San Juan Jabloteh.
Digicel Pro League 2013/2014 Round Three Match Day Four
North East Stars 1—1 W Connection
Trevin Caesar 30' ; Joevin Jones 33' (PEN)
Central FC 2—0 Point Fortin Civic
Jamal Jack 30', Rundell Winchester 33'
Teams
North East Stars—22. Cleon John (C), 5. Aquil Selby (Yellow Card), 7. Elijah Manners, 15. Chike Sullivan (8. Keron Cummings 58th), 18. Kaashif Thomas (41. Neveal Hackshaw 60th), 19. Glenton Wolfe, 20. Trevin Caesar, 23. Kennedy Hinkson, 25. Keryn Navarro, 12. Jayson Joseph, 6. Jeromie Williams (48. Jesus Perez 85th)
Unused substitutes—1. Stefan Berkeley (GK), 9. Akiel Guevara, 11. Lemuel Lyons, 16. Franz Husbands
Coach—Angus Eve
W Connection—18. Julani Archibald, 3. Gerard Williams (C) (Yellow Card), 4. Daneil Cyrus (Yellow Card), 2. Kurt Frederick, 10. Joevin Jones, 12. Jerrel Britto, 14. Hashim Arcia (20. Stefano Rijssel 68th), 15. Mekeil Williams (Yellow Card), 39. Alvin Jones, 11. Tremain Shayn Paul (7. Silvio Spann 68th), 65. Neil Benjamin Jr. (32. Dimitrie Apai 46th)
Unused substitutes—22. Aquelius Sylvester (GK), 25. Christian Viveros, 13. Devaughn Elliot
Coach—Stuart Charles Fevrier
Referee--Marvin Pierre
Teams
Central FC—21. Jan-Michael Williams, 1. Willis Plaza, 2. Elton John, 3. Keion Goodridge, 4. Sean de Silva (27. Samuel Delice 87th), 6. Leston Paul, 7. Jason Marcano (Yellow Card), 24. Akeem Benjamin, 12. Jamal Jack, 17. Rundell Winchester (13. Johan Peltier 78th), 50. Yohance Marshall
Unused substitutes—25. Javon Sample (GK), 9. Dwight Quintero, 8. Kevon Goddard, 15. Kaydion Gabriel, 22. Keon Trim
Coach—Terry Fenwick
Point Fortin Civic—1. Marvin Phillip, 7. Nickholson Thomas (C), 8. Steven Joseph (Yellow Card), 4. Weslie John, 17. Glen Sutton, 34. Omarr Charles (2. Garyl Doldron 40th), 18. Akeem Redhead, 6. Kelvin Modeste (19. Andrei Pacheco 57th) (Yellow Card), 11. Andre Toussaint (Yellow Card) (Red Card), 21. Andre Alexis (31. Kendall Davis 70th), 10. Marcus Joseph
Unused substitutes—26. Miguel Payne (GK), 27. Jarred Bennett, 15. Sean Cooper, 35. Kariym Balthazar
Coach—Reynold Carrington
Match Referee—Gyasi Mc Donald