Seven points ahead of its closest challenger and four games remaining, Digicel Pro League (DPL) leaders W Connection are extremely confident of lifting the million dollar 2013/2014 title.
“We have more or less led the standings from day one and we don’t intend to give it up,” said longstanding Connection head coach Stuart Charles Fevrier. “We are very confident that we can achieve our goal in winning the league title.”
Connection, coming off Saturday’s 3-1 win over San Juan Jabloteh in the quarterfinal round of the Lucozade Sport Goal Shield (LSGS), will take on sixth positioned Police FC (27 points) from 6 pm on Tuesday 8 May at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Round Three Match Day Six of the DPL, before their semi-final clash of the LSGS against Point Fortin Civic on Friday 11 May from 8 pm at the very same Couva venue.
Also on Tuesday, second positioned Central FC (35 points), coming off last Friday’s 4-0 win over Caledonia AIA in the LSGS semi-final round, will meet the seventh positioned Morvant/Laventille club (24 points) a second time in five days, from 8 pm in the second match of the Ato Boldon Stadium double header.
And simultaneously at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Jabloteh will meet St. Rangers from 6 pm in a bottom of the table tie, and from 8 pm North East Stars and Civic – both tied with 33 points in third and fourth respectively and are ambitious of a top-two finish –will clash at the Macoya venue.
The Stars, 2-1 winners over Police on Saturday in the quarterfinal round of the LSGS, are also preparing for Friday’s semi-final clash against rivals Central from 6 pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium. Civic meanwhile, had ousted Defence Force 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw to reach the semi-final round against Connection.
“The semi-final will be an interesting game (against Civic),” added Fevrier, who, this season, have already led the “Savonnetta Boys” to the Digicel Charity Shield, Toyota Classic and FA Trophy titles. “We drew (1-1) in the last meeting against them and I’m sure that (Friday’s) game will generate a lot of interest.
“We have won three trophies already this season and want to win more, but the league title remains the most important.”
“Our intention is to get maximum points in the four (remaining league) games and we will do everything we can to get those points.”
Following Tuesday’s fixture against Police, Connection’s remaining DPL fixtures will see the “Savonnetta Boys” play back-to-back against defending league champions Defence Force on May 4 (Round Two Match Day Eight) and on May 6 (Round Three Match Day Eight), before wrapping up on May 13 against Caledonia AIA (Round Three Match Day Nine).
“It has been a long season,” admitted Fevrier, who guided Connection to the 2005 and 2011/12 Pro League titles. “But from the beginning of the season we had set to compete for everything… have a lot of playing time for different players, and win as much as we can.”
Connection’s bitter town-rivals, Central, have won the only other title this season – the First Citizens Cup – and are presently the most in-form team, while Stars, Civic and defending champs Defence Force—with three games in hand, are all in with mathematical chances.
There isn’t room for error and with Central undefeated in their last 14 games – in all competitions – and boasting a 7-match winning streak, the competition surely isn’t short of excitement.
After Tuesday’s clash against Caledonia, the “Sharks” remaining DPL matches are against North East Stars (April 15), Police (April 22) in a rescheduled Round Three Match Day Five fixture, Jabloteh (May 6) and end against Rangers (May 13).
Remaining Digicel Pro League 2013/2014 fixtures [Tuesday 8 April]
Round Three match Day Six
Ato Boldon Stadium
W Connection vs Police FC—6 pm
Central FC vs Caledonia AIA—8 pm
Marvin Lee Stadium
San Juan Jabloteh vs St. Ann’s Rangers—6 pm
North East Stars vs Point Fortin Civic—8 pm
Sunday 13 April
Rescheduled fixtures
Defence Force FC vs Police FC (Round Two Match Day Seven)
Caledonia AIA vs San Juan Jabloteh (Round Three Match Day Five)
Tuesday 15 April
Round Three Match Day Seven
St. Ann’s Rangers vs Caledonia AIA
San Juan Jabloteh vs Point Fortin Civic
Police FC vs Defence Force FC
North East Stars vs Central FC
Tuesday 22 April
Rescheduled fixtures
Defence Force FC vs St. Ann’s Rangers (Round Three Match Day Five)
Central FC vs Police FC (Round Three Match Day Five)
Sunday 27 April
Rescheduled fixture
Defence Force FC vs Caledonia AIA (Round Three Match Day Four)
Sunday 4 May
Rescheduled fixture
W Connection vs Defence Force FC (Round Two Match Day Eight)
Tuesday 6 May
Round Three Match Day Eight
Hasely Crawford Stadium
Caledonia AIA vs Point Fortin Civic
Defence Force FC vs W Connection
North East Stars vs St. Ann’s Rangers
Central FC vs San Juan Jabloteh
Tuesday 13 May
Round Three Match Day Nine
Central FC vs St. Ann’s Rangers
W Connection vs Caledonia AIA
Police FC vs North East Stars
San Juan Jabloteh vs Defence Force FC