Jomal Williams, Jerrel Britto and Ataullah Guerra star for front runners, Jayson Joseph equalise late as N/E Stars and Jabloteh share spoils
Defence Force target man Devorn Jorsling stormed to the top of this season’s Digicel Pro League 2014-2015 scorers’ list on Tuesday night with 14 goals after netting a hat-trick against his ex-club Caledonia AIA during a 4-0 win in the first match of a Round Three Match Day Four double-header at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
But despite the Jorsling onslaught and victory – the Marvin Gordon coached-side’s first in their last three league outings and second in the last seven league outings – Defence Force (9-2-8, 29 points) remained fifth.
North East Stars (9-4-7, 31 points), the only team to climb on Tuesday, leapfrogged idle Point Fortin Civic (9-3-7, 30 points) for third place on the DPL standings after rallying to a late 1-1 draw against Play Whe San Juan Jabloteh (7-6-7, 27 points) in the second match of the Port of Spain double header.
Jabloteh opened the scoring in the 30th minute with a strike from former North East Stars player Tyrone Charles but Jayson Joseph leveled the Sangre Grande club in the 81st minute against the side that they defeated in the semi-final round of the TTFA FA Trophy last Sunday.
Well ahead of third-placed North East Stars, Civic and Defence Force, are longstanding DPL 2014-2015 leaders Central FC and reigning champions DIRECTV W Connection, who both also registered comfortable wins on Tuesday afternoon to maintain their healthy lead on the rest of the pack after Round Three Match Day Four.
Central (14-3-3, 45 points) defeated Police 4-1 at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium to stay five points clear of second-placed W Connection (12-4-3, 40 points), who whipped cellar-placed St. Ann’s Rangers (0-1-19, 1 point) 4-0 at the Larry Gomes Stadium.
Connection midfielder Jomal Williams scored on either side of the break, netting in the 22nd and 49th minutes respectively against Rangers – who recently installed Ron La Forest as new coach for the remainder of the season – before forwards Hashim Arcia and Jerrel Britto, with his 11th DPL goal this season, added a goal each in the 68th and 79th minutes respectively.
Central, who were defeated on penalty kicks by Connection last Sunday in the semi-final round of the TTFA FA Trophy, grabbed a 1-0 lead through midfielder Ataullah Guerra hammered low past goalkeeper Adrian Foncette from nearly 30-yards out, capitalising on a giveaway by Police shot-stopper.
Guerra had an excellent opportunity to double his and Central’s scoring in the 42nd minute from inside the box however Foncette blanked the midfielder with a superb low save after a low perfect Leston Paul cross was sent to the feet of Guerra from the right.
But from the resulting corner swung in by Sean de Silva in the 43rd minute, Marvin Oliver beat everyone to the ball in the box to head past Foncette for a 2-0 Central FC cushion before the break and his 9th DPL goal this season.
Police, without the services of five players – Kaaron Foster (9 matches), Noel Williams and third choice goalkeeper Theon Browne (6 matches), Jasimar Ashers and Shaquille Nesbit (2 matches) – serving suspensions for their involvement in a brawl with Point Fortin Civic on February 27, 2015, lifted the intensity in the second half despite being carved open twice again.
Forward Makesi Lewis pulled a goal back in the 64th minute for Police, reducing the deficit 1-2, when he headed in from close up after goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams was unable to put out a powerful free-kick from Elijah Manners from just outside the box.
Police had called for a penalty in the 63rd minute, arguing that Todd Ryan was tripped inside the box, but referee Nicholas Gloudon awarded the free-kick which the “Lawmen” were able to capitalise on.
But on the 75th minute Central midfielder Leston Paul restored the “Couva Sharks” two-goal cushion with a 3-1 lead, hammering past Foncette from inside the right of the area after being picked out by a Guerra pass.
And on the 82nd minute substitute Michael Yaw Darko, just two minutes onto the pitch, squeezed a left footed strike past Foncette at the near post to pull Central further clear for an eventual 4-1 win against Police, who were denied by the frame in the 78th minute from a deflected Lewis strike.
At the Hasely Crawford Stadium however, Jorsling, a 31-year-old discarded Trinidad and Tobago forward, who had stints with Caledonia during the 2001 and 2011-2012 seasons, was frolicking against his hometown club.
Jorsling opened the scoring against Caledonia in the 49th minute, beating goalkeeper D’Eandre Villaroel from the top of the box for a 1-0 Defence Force lead.
Villaroel, who had spectacularly denied Jorsling three minutes from the break, was beaten again by the three-time TT Pro League Golden Boot winner, who converted from the penalty spot for a 2-0 cushion in the 65th minute after Jameel Neptune had handled an initial free-kick by the forward.
Midfielder Jerwyn Balthazar made it 3-0 in the 80th minute before Jorsling completed his tally and 14th DPL goal – one more than idle Point Fortin Civic forward Marcus Joseph – in the 84 minute for the 4-0 Defence Force win by slotting past Villaroel from a tight angle.
Defence Force will return to action on Saturday from 4 pm at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium against Central FC in Round Three Match Day Five while simultaneously at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, St. Ann's Rangers are against Caledonia AIA.
But action kicks off on Friday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium with Police FC to tackle North East Stars from 6 pm, and W Connection against Point Fortin Civic from 8 pm.
Results
St. Ann’s Rangers 0 v W Connection 4 (Jomal Williams 22, 49, Hashim Arcia 67, Jerrel Britto 80).
Central FC 4 (Ataullah Guerra 10, Marvin Oliver 42, Leston Paul 76, Michael Darko 82) v Police FC 1 (Makesi Lewis 65).
San Juan Jabloteh 1 (Tyrone Charles 30) v North East Stars 1 (Jayson Joseph 81).
Defence Force 4 (Devorn Jorsling 49, 65, 84, Jerwyn Balthazar 84) v Caledonia AIA 0.
Teams
Central FC: 21.Jan-Michael Williams; 5.Akeem Benjamin, 45.Ataullah Guerra (Yellow Card), 14.Jean-Luc Rochford (2.Elton John 72nd), 15.Kaydion Gabriel (12.Jamal Jack 72nd), 10.Marvin Oliver, 29.Upston Edwards, 8.Sean de Silva (Yellow Card), 24.Kevon Villaroel, 6.Leston Paul, 28.Borfor Carr (26.Michael Yaw Darko 80th)
Unused substitutes: 30.Akel Clarke (GK), 11.Darren Mitchell, 33.Willis Plaza, 25.Elijah Manners
Coach: Zoran Vranes
Police FC: 18.Adrian Foncette; 1.Kareem Freitas (Yellow Card), 4.Karlon Murray (Yellow Card), 6.Kenaz Williams (8.Kurdell Brathwaite 46th - Yellow Card), 7.Makesi Lewis, 20.Elijah Belgrave, 21.Todd Ryan, 24.Jibri Mc David, 29.Clevon Mc Fee (39.Kevin Lewis 80th), 35.Kerry Frederick (40.Sharkeel Donatien 70th), 36.Shakiyl Phillip (Yellow Card)
Unused substitutes: 5.Anton Hutchinson, 14.Devon Jamerson, 22.Isaiah Farrel, 34.Keston Mata (GK)
Coach: Richard Hood
Standings
P W D L F A Pts
Central FC 20 14 3 3 52 15 45
W Connection 19 12 4 3 38 11 40
North East Stars 20 9 4 7 21 20 31
Point Fortin Civic 19 9 3 7 39 28 30
Defence Force 19 9 2 8 36 25 29
San Juan Jabloteh 20 7 6 7 22 33 27
Police FC 20 7 5 8 31 42 26
Caledonia AIA 19 4 4 10 24 37 19
St. Ann’s Rangers 20 0 1 19 16 72 1
Upcoming Matches
Friday 20 March 2015
Police FC vs North East Stars—6 pm, Hasely Crawford Stadium
W Connection vs Point Fortin Civic—8 pm, Hasely Crawford Stadium
Saturday 21 March 2015
Central FC vs Defence Force—4 pm, Manny Ramjohn Stadium
St. Ann's Rangers vs Caledonia AIA—4 p, Larry Gomes Stadium