Three goals, three red cards and Fenwick whistles as Central keep one hand on league title

However an unregistered Central head coach Terry Fenwick – on his first match back with the "Couva Sharks" – wasn't unable to gloat from the technical against his former employers Jabloteh, who had three players ejected by cards in the second period.

Fenwick, who replaced Zoran Vranes over a week ago as head coach of the “Couva Sharks” but wasn’t registered with the league –an administrative blunder by his own club –, was somehow able to occupy the technical area for just over 30 minutes before he was instructed by fourth official Rashby Mc Phie to leave zone.

Not long after, in the 37th minute, Central grabbed a 1-0 advantage against the run of play when Guerra, who was tripped just outside the box by defender Isaiah Mc Intyre, lifted a free kick over the wall and beyond Jabloteh’s Jamaican goalkeeper Shane Mattis’ reach.

Jabloteh had seemed the better drilled team in the opening moments and dominated the first half tries, inclusive of Newton Sterling heading a Caleb Sturge right-side corner inches over in the 16th minute.

The Jamaican Jabloteh forward also tested Central goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams from distance in the 18th minute, but the Trinidad and Tobago shot-stopper, who later denied Jabloteh full-back Garth Thomas in the 27th and 33rd minutes, was unbeatable.

Jabloteh tried to level the score-line before the break from a free-kick whipped in by Jamaican midfielder Damian Williams but star midfield teammate and countryman Fabian Reid guided a Sterling feed into the gloves of the Central 'keeper.

And in stoppage time of the first period Central also failed to benefit from a free-kick which was miserably struck high over-bar by Jason Marcano.

But in the second period everything fell apart for the “San Juan Kings” while Fenwick, up to his usual antics, was whistling instructions from the fencing that bordered the field.

Jabloteh hardman Jevon Morris was sent off in the 57th minute following successive yellow cards in a short space of four minutes. Morris picked up his first booking for elbowing Central FC’s Jamal Jack and was shown his second, followed by the automatic red, for a high boot on Marcano, as referee Cyrstal Sobers spared no leniency.

Sobers was forced to pull out the red card again in the 64th minute when Fabian Reid, unable to contain his frustration after his cry for foul was ignored, was sent off abusive language.

Central finally capitalised on the two-player advantage in the 77th minute for a 2-0 cushion with Jack – utilised as extra muscle in midfield – blasting past Mattis from close range following a quick exchange with Guerra inside the box.

Immediately after, things got even worse for coach Keith Jeffrey’s side when Sobers issued Sturge a direct red card after the Jabloteh full-back made suggestive remarks towards the female official after claiming he was fouled during the Central FC goal-scoring raid.

The match was finally put out of Jabloteh's reach five minutes from time.

Guerra slammed in his 13th league goal this season, hitting past Mattis – who made five saves in the second period – on a quick exchange with Willis Plaza inside the box to complete the 3-0 win.

By the end of the second match at the Macoya venue involving Central’s bitter rivals W Connection and Defence Force, Fenwick’s side were six points clear at the top of the table.

Central, with two league matches left to play (against North East Stars and Point Fortin Civic), remains at the summit with an improved 49 points, while Connection, with three matches remaining (against Police, Caledonia and Jabloteh), have 43 points.

Connection were stunned in as early as one minute and 9 seconds into the contest when prolific goal-scorer Devorn Jorsling, unmarked in the six yard, headed in a well-placed Jemel Sebro right side cross for a 1-0 lead.

Connection weren’t allowed much time to return to their senses as veteran Defence Force midfielder Jerwyn Balthazar made it 2-0 in the 6th minute.

Balthazar, connecting on a right side Kerry Joseph free-kick, guided the ball past goalkeeper Julani Archibald and into the back of the net.

Archibald was left to dry in the 41st minute and Jorsling, who had an incredible showing on the night, took his league tally this season to 16 goals with a superb volley from close up off Joseph right side delivery to make it 3-0 as Defence Force continued total domination. Jorsling continues to lead this season's league scorers' list.

But Connection prodigy Shahdon Winchester swooped in during stoppage-time of the first half to smash in a rebound past goalkeeper Sheldon Clarke, who initially parried a left side attempt by Akeem Garcia, reducing the deficit 1-3.

However winger Jemel Sebro restored Defence Force's three-goal lead and an unassailable 4-1 score in the 63rd minute, knocking in from close up following a smooth move on the right involving Balthazar and Aklie Edwards.

Connection, who played the allotted five minutes of stoppage-time with 10-men after substitute Aikim Andrews was carried off on the stretcher, was unlucky not to score in the 86th minute when substitute Jabari Mitchell’s blast clipped the underside of the cross-bar and back into play before another teenaged substitute Aaquil Campbell fired over-bar.

Mitchell, the Secondary Schools Player of the Year, had an open net to punish in the third minute of stoppage-time but shockingly headed over-bar off Winchester’s left side cross.

Connection had the ball in the back of the net four minutes earlier thanks to a well-executed run and finish by Jomal Williams, however the midfielder’s strike was disallowed by the offside rule.

Meanwhile the win moved Defence Force up one spot into third with 33 points, just as fourth placed Point Fortin Civic, who defeated cellar-placed St. Ann’s Rangers 2-1 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium to make upward movement.

Sayid Freitas opened the scoring in the 14th minute but Marcus Joseph notched his 14th league goal of the season to put Civic level in the 22nd minute before defender Weslie John made it 2-1 a minute from the break.

While in the second match at the Port of Spain venue, Purnell Schultz late winner in the 86th minute earned Caledonia AIA a 1-0 win over Police FC in their bottom-half-of-the-table clash. The Guyanese attacker taking his league scoring tally to 12 goals this season.

Digicel Pro League Results

San Juan Jabloteh 0 vs Central FC 3 (Ataullah Guerra 37', 85', Jamal Jack 77')

Defence Force 4 (Devorn Jorsling 2', 41', Jerwyn Balthazar 6', Jemel Sebro 63') vs W Connection 1 (Shahdon Winchester 45'+2)

St. Ann’s Rangers 1 (Sayid Freitas 14’) vs Point Fortin Civic 2 (Marcus Joseph 22’, Weslie John 44’)

Caledonia AIA 1 (Purnell Schultz 86’) vs Police FC 0

Teams

San Juan Jabloteh: 30.Shane Mattis; 18.Jevon Morris (Y+Y=Red Card), 22.Calib Sturge (Red Card), 10.Kerry Baptiste (29.Tyrone Charles 58th), 12.Brendon Boucaud (9.Johan Peltier 73rd), 15.Isaiah Mc Intyre (Yellow Card), 17.Fabian Reid (Red Card), 4.Garth Thomas, 8.Newton Sterling, 24.Adrian Reid, 11.Damian Williams (3.Brent Sam 69th)

Unused substitutes: 36.Raheem Belgrave (GK), 19.Dillon Kirton, 21.Neil Mitchell, 28.Kendes Garcia

Coach: Keith Jeffrey

Central FC: 21.Jan-Michael Williams; 5.Akeem Benjamin, 45.Ataullah Guerra, 11.Darren Mitchell (19.Nathaniel Garcia 79th), 15.Kaydion Gabriel, 12.Jamal Jack, 2.Elton John, 6.Leston Paul, 24.Kevon Villaroel, 33.Willis Plaza, 7.Jason Marcano (8.Sean de Silva 77th)

Unused substitutes: 29.Upston Edwards, 1.Javon Sample (GK), 99.Dwight Quintero, 10.Marvin Oliver, 3.Keon Goodridge

Coach: Terry Fenwick

Match Referee: Crystal Sobers

Teams

Defence Force: 25.Sheldon Clarke; 13.Marvin Jones, 22.Jamali Garcia, 99.Jerwyn Balthazar, 17.Ross Russell Jr. (Yellow Card), 4.Dave Long (Yellow Card) (3.Keston Williams 86th), 9.Devorn Jorsling, 6.Rodell Elcock, 12.Jemel Sebro (26.Richard Roy 81st), 21.Aklie Edwards, 23.Kerry Joseph (11.Akeem Roach 65th)

Unused substitutes: 2.Glynn Franklyn, 10.Josimar Belgrave, 28.Andre Marchan (GK), 90.Jelani Felix

Coach: Marvin Gordon

W Connection: 18.Julani Archibald; 3.Gerard Williams, 2.Kurt Frederick, 8.Yhon Stiven Lopez (30.Aaquil Campbell 66th), 9.Shahdon Winchester (Yellow Card), 26.Maurice Ford, 29.Akeem Garcia, 39.Alvin Jones (34.Jabari Mitchell 69th), 40.Jomal Williams, 20.Christian Rodriguez (28.Aikim Andrews 22nd), 25.Christian Viveros

Unused substitutes: 22.Aquelius Sylvester (GK), 5.Mekeil Williams, 11.Tremain Shayn Paul, 36.Triston Hodge

Coach: Stuart Charles-Fevrier

Match Referee: Gyasi Mc Donald