Toussaint goal lifts Connection level with D/Force after edging Jabloteh
Police FC snapped a three-game losing streak with a comprehensive 5-0 hammering of Club Sando on the resumption of the Digicel Pro League, following the Carnival break, on Friday night.
The result pushed the Lawmen up two spots into fourth on the standings with 24 points, one point ahead of San Juan Jabloteh, who slipped a spot into fifth before being edged 2-1 against W Connection in the second game of the Couva double-header.
Connection veteran midfielder Andre Toussaint snatched the winner on 66 minutes to lift the Savonetta Boys up a spot into second with 32 points, but only behind DPL leaders Defence Force on a lesser goal-difference (26 to 32).
Defence Force, however, will attempt to pull away by the end of this weekend when they visit fifth-placed North East Stars from 3:30 pm on Sunday at the Larry Gomes Stadium, while defending champions Central FC, dropping in third with 31 points, will take on eight-placed Morvant Caledonia United from 4 pm on the same day at the Ato Boldon Stadium.
Connection, though, lead the Akeem Adams Round Two with 19 points from six wins and one draw, while Central and Defence Force are second and third with 14 and 12 points, respectively.
Jomal Williams fired Connection ahead in the 16th minute for his 11th league goal this season from the edge the area to find goalkeeper Shemel Louison’s bottom corner.
But eight minutes later Jabloteh’s diminutive midfield talent, Jamaican Fabian Reid, equalised with a chipped goal over goalkeeper Julani Archibald to put the score at 1-1.
Striker Jamal Gay had an excellent opportunity to put Jabloteh in front on 54 minutes, but his effort was charged down by defender Kevon Goddard.
Winger Nathan Lewis had produced a brilliant run from the half, showing off his lightning speed and skill to evade Triston Hodge and Gerard Williams along the way, before entering the area and squaring a pass to Gay.
It would haunt Jabloteh later when Toussaint turned in a deflected Shannon Gomez cross seconds after Louison had pushed behind a Shahdon Winchester header for a corner.
Winchester, goalkeeper Archibald and second half substitutes Alvin Jones and Neil Benjamin, who was denied by the legs of Louison two minutes after the restart, marked their return from injury in coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier’s seventh straight unbeaten game.
In the earlier game, Police, led by assistant coach Andy Roberts in the absence of head coach Richard Hood who is on international duty as coach of the Trinidad and Tobago Women’s Team currently in the US for Rio 2016 Olympic qualifiers, made clear their intent from early on.
Winger Riley put Police in front 1-0 on 15 minutes when his in-swinging corner proved too much for the gloves of goalkeeper Kelvin Henry before entering the Sando net.
Kareem Freitas then doubled the advantage in the 26th minute on a quick counterattack involving Kaaron Foster and Makesi Lewis, with the latter slipping the final pass to strike partner Freitas to make it 2-0 with his 11th league goal of the season.
Lewis, this season’s leading league scorer, got to his 14th goal by converting from the spot for a 3-0 lead four minutes before the break, by which time already outperforming a 2-0 win achieved over Sando on Dec. 18 in round one.
Referee Rodphin Harris awarded the penalty, ruling that Lewis was fouled in the area by defender Corneal Thomas. Sando disputed Harris’ decision after both players went to ground with knocks to their heads but the protest only resulted in Kemuel Rivers joining Thomas on the caution list.
Rivers’ frustration spilled over in the 88th minute as his side struggled to find a way back and Harris awarded the full-back his second yellow card, quickly followed by the red, following a dangerous tackle on Police substitute midfielder Devon Jamerson.
Goalkeeper Jason Belfon, one of four Grenada national team signings in the transfer window (January 29-Februay 26) made by Sando, was forced into his debut immediately after the break, while Spice Boys teammate Rickson Phillip was introduced late up front.
Regular goalie Kelvin Henry was injured after colliding with Grenada national team captain and another Sando debutant, Shannon Phillip, in a desperate attempt to avert danger just before the half. But Belfon, despite getting glove to two Todd Ryan attempts, failed to prevent the goals.
Ryan made it 4-0 with a 23-yard free-kick, beating the glove of Belfon. And to add salt to the wounds of Sando, the Police team captain got to his double for the 5-0 finish in open play with another strike off the fingers of Belfon.
The weekend fixtures continue today (Saturday) with Point Fortin Civic welcoming St. Ann’s Rangers from 5 pm at the Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin.
Results
Police FC 5 (Kadeem Riley 15’, Kareem Freitas 26’, Makesi Lewis 41’ penalty, Todd Ryan 87’, 90’) vs Club Sando 0; at Ato Boldon Stadium
San Juan Jabloteh 1 (Fabian Reid 24’) vs W Connection 2 (Jomal Williams 16’, Andre Toussaint 66’); at Ato Boldon Stadium
Teams
Police FC: 1.Adrian Foncette; 5.Anton Hutchinson, 6.Jibri Mc David, 7.Clevon Mc Fee, 9.Makesi Lewis, 10.Kareem Freitas (16.Keon Wilson 68th minute), 11.Kadeem Riley (15.Akeil Thomas 80th minute), 14.Kaaron Foster (Yellow Card (3.Devon Jamerson 72nd minute), 19.Christon Thomas (Yellow Card), 20.Elijah Belgrave, 21.Todd Ryan (Capt.)
Unused substitutes: 22.Theon Browne (GK), 8.Kurdell Brathwaite, 12.Ricardo Peltier, 18.Dylon King
Assistant Coach: Andy Roberts
Club Sando: 34.Kelvin Henry (1.Jason Belfon 46th minute); 3.Shannon Phillip, 6.Kemuel Rivers (Yellow Card), 7.Akeem Humphrey, 9.Jesse Downing (35.Bradley Nestor 61st minute), 10.Kevon Neaves (Yellow Card), 13.Kern Cupid, 16.Kevon Woodley, 17.Jared London, 22.Corneal Thomas (Yellow Card), 24.Devon Modeste (20.Rickson Phillip 72nd minute)
Unused substitutes: 4.Moron Phillip, 12.Jack Weedon, 15.Amrit Gildharry, 19.Ryan Frederick
Coach: Anthony Streete
Match Referee: Rodphin Harris
Teams
San Juan Jabloteh: 30.Shemel Louison; 4.Garth Thomas (12.Jordan Devonish 78th minute), 7.Jamal Gay, 8.Keyon Edwards (Yellow Card) (23.Kennedy Hinkson 73rd minute), 14.Sean Bonval (9.Brent Sam 69th minute), 27.Nathan Lewis, 15.Jerome Mc Intyre, 21.Aquil Selby, 24.Adrian Reid, 11.Damian Williams (Yellow Card), 13.Fabien Reid (Yellow Card)
Unused substitutes: 3.Lincoln Burns, 35.Andrew Durant (GK), 16.Kaashif Thomas, 19.Dominic Douglas
Coach: Keith Jeffrey
W Connection: 18.Julani Archibald; 2.Kurt Frederick, 3.Gerard Williams (Capt.), 5.Triston Hodge, 8.Briel Thomas, 9.Shahdon Winchester, 21.Shannon Gomez, 10.Jomal Williams (34.Jabari Mitchell 69th minute), 12.Dimitrie Apai (11.Neil Benjamin Jr. 46th minute), 23.Kevon Goddard, 14.Andre Toussaint (Yellow Card) (16.Alvin Jones 75th minute)
Unused substitutes: 1.Terrence Lewis (GK), 4.Maurice Ford, 20.Jamal Charles, 29.Akeem Garcia
Coach: Stuart Charles-Fevrier
Match Referee: Dave Daniel