Ace army forward joins Britto at the top of DPL 2014-2015 scorers’ list, Connection close in on leaders Central, Marcus Joseph double lifts Civic past Police.
Devorn Jorsling impressed on a rare start this season, netting a first half hat-trick and had two second half assists to steer Defence Force to comprehensive 7-0 win over cellar placed St. Ann's Rangers on Friday night in the first match of a double header at the Marvin Lee Stadium.
The win propelled the Marvin Gordon-coached army/coastguard outfit two spots up into third at the end of Round Two in the 2014-2015 Digicel Pro League – tied with fourth placed North East Stars on 26 points but ahead of the Sangre Grande club by goal-difference.
Central FC, winners of this season’s First Citizens Cup and Rawle Fletcher (Round One) and Akeem Adams (Round Two) Trophies, continue to lead the standings with 35 points, but only two points clear of reigning DPL champions DIRECTV W Connection (33 points) who closed the gap with a slim 1-0 win over Play Whe San Juan Jabloteh on Friday night at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.
Caledonia AIA also earned a marginal win in the first match of the Couva double header of the Round Two Match Day Nine fixtures, edging North East Stars 1-0 while Point Fortin Civic were 3-1 winners over Police FC in the second match at the Marvin Lee Stadium which ended ugly.
Civic continuing on upward trajectory under the charge of interim head coach Leroy De Leon even after Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat against Central, scored first with 21-year-old winger Akeem Redhead netting in the 26th minute against the “Lawmen” before Todd Ryan equalised from the penalty spot in the 28thminute following a handball in the area by Andre Ettienne.
But a second half double by last season’s DPL top scorer Marcus Joseph – who created Redhead's scoring opportunity – netting in the 72nd and 85th minute completed the 3-1 win before a stoppage time brawl on the field of play, somehow transferred into the stands and lasted for a while before returning to normalcy.
Civic moved into fifth place, tied on 23 points with sixth positioned Jabloteh, while Caledonia (19 points) leapfrogged Police (17 points) for seventh place.
In less feisty conditions in the opening match at the Couva venue, Caledonia forward Domini Garnett – the Guyanese national used as late substitute – broke the deadlock in the 84th minute – just four minutes onto the pitch – when he pounced on a spill inside the six yard area by Stars goalkeeper Stefan Berkeley who failed to keep grip on a left side Nathan Lewis cross, after numerous openings on either side of the field.
Similarly, Connection and Jabloteh had many chances which were quelled by excellent goalkeeping on either end, however in the 81st minute the “San Juan Kings” teenaged goalkeeper Aaron Enil, standing in place of injured first and second choice ‘keepers Shane Mattis and Raheem Belgrave respectively, was beaten by forward Jerrel Britto as the "Savonetta Boys" grabbed the late win.
Britto’s goal tied him level on 10 league goals this season with Jorsling – who spent more time watching from the bench than any other forward – and one goal more than Civic’s Marcus Joseph second on the list.
Jorsling, the 31-year-old overlooked Trinidad and Tobago forward, opened the scoring in the 7th minute and doubled his tally by the 19thminute against Rangers before completing his hat-trick – interrupted by a Ross Russell Jr. goal in the 35th minute – on the 39th minute as Defence Force went into the break with a commanding 4-0 lead.
Jorsling, the 2010-2011 Toyota/TT Pro League Player of the Year, was at it again in the second half, first setting up Russell to score his second on the night in the 52nd minute for a 5-0 score and finally set up substitute Josimar Belgrave to score in the 84th minute for a 7-0 finish after, another substitute, Kellon Serrette had made it 6-0 in the 69th minute.
Rangers, in the end, recording their 15th league defeat from 16 outings this season to remain slumped at the bottom with just one point – a record low by the St. Ann’s club.
Rangers will return to DPL action on Tuesday 3 March from 6 pm at the Marvin Lee Stadium against leaders Central FC in Round Three Match Day One while North East Stars are scheduled to meet Defence Force in the second match at the Macoya venue from 8 pm.
Simultaneously at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, Police FC will tackle San Juan Jabloteh from 6 pm and Caledonia AIA against Point Fortin Civic from 8 pm, while Connection are on the bye.
Round Two Match Day Nine Results
Caledonia AIA 1 (Domini Garnett 84') vs North East Stars 0
W Connection 1 (Jerrel Britto 81') vs San Juan Jabloteh 0
St. Ann's Rangers 0 vs Defence Force 7 (Devorn Jorsling 7', 19', 39', Ross Russell Jr. 35', 53', Kellon Serette 69', Josimar Belgrave 84')
Police FC 1 (Todd Ryan 28' penalty) vs Point Fortin Civic 3 (Akeem Redhead 26', Marcus Joseph 72’, 85')
Teams
Caledonia AIA: 1.Shemel Louison; 5.Christoper Mejia (Yellow Card), 22.Jameel Neptune (19.Julio Noel 75th), 12.Kareem Joseph, 9.Keyon Edwards, 28.Pernell Schultz (32.Kyle Bartholomew 89th), 23.Jamil Joseph, 27.Nathan Lewis, 16.Pierre Hitner (Yellow Card), 26.Nicholas Mercano, 51.Mikaeel Gordon (30.Domini Garnett 80th)
Unused substitutes: 19.Julio Noel, 34.D'Eandre Villaroel (GK), 20.Rogelio Robinson, 8.Keron Bethelmy
Coach: Jamaal Shabazz
North East Stars: 1.Stefan Berkeley; 4.Keithy Simpson, 12.Jayson Joseph, 23.Kennedy Hinkson, 15.Glenton Wolfe, 10.Keron Cummings, 25.Keryn Navarro (Yellow Card), 44.Keon Joseph (Yellow Card) (42.Taryk Sampson 77th), 38.Jesus Perez, 41.Neveal Hackshaw (Yellow Card) (6.Jeromie Williams 66th), 18.Kaashif Thomas (40.Jomoul Francois 66th)
Unused substitutes: 22.Cleon John (GK), 3.Kareem Richardson, 26.Zavion Navarro, 5.Aquil Selby
Coach: Angus Eve
Teams
W Connection: 18.Julani Archibald; 5.Mekeil Williams (C), 12.Jerrel Britto, 29.Akeem Garcia (13.Devaughn Elliot 66th), 14.Hashim Arcia, 25.Christian Viveros, 39.Alvin Jones, 2.Kurt Frederick, 26.Maurice Ford, 65.Neil Benjamin Jr. (28.Aikim Andrews 36th), 8.Yhon Stiven Reyes Lopez (48.Stiven Lopez Concha 73rd)
Unused substitutes: 10.Yefer Steven Lozano, 22.Aquelius Sylvester (GK), 4.Bradley James Baemount, 20.Christian Rodriguez
Coach: Stuart Charles Fevrier
San Juan Jabloteh: 35.Aaron Enil; 18.Jevon Morris, 22.Calib Sturge, 10.Kerry Baptiste (21.Neil Mitchell 72nd), 12.Brendon Boucaud, 17.Fabian Reid, 4.Garth Thomas (13.Coneal Thomas 54th), 29.Tyrone Charles, 6.Dario Holmes, 15.Isaiah Mc Intyre, 8.Newton Sterling
Unused substitutes: 19.Dillon Kirton, 14.Shaquille Bertrand, 16.Samuel Delice, 7.Andell Noray, 11.Damian Williams
Coach: Keith Jeffrey