The Barataria Recreation Ground produced three red cards, two penalties, a penalty-kick flop, a revenge win, and shared points – all in the Digicel Pro League’s “SunFunDay” when professional football action returned for the first time this season to the north venue on Sunday.
Last season’s table-propping St. Ann’s Rangers and Morvant Caledonia United first played to a 1-1 draw—after both sides were reduced to 10 men—to maintain their unbeaten start to the 2016/17 season before Defence Force grabbed their first league win this term after two attempts with a 2-1 result over 10-man home side and last season’s runners-up San Juan Jabloteh.
Morvant Caledonia and Rangers, each with a 1-1-0 record and 4 points, both moved up a spot to occupy second and third positions, respectively, on the league standings currently led by two-time defending champions Central FC (2-0-0, 6 points). Meanwhile, in descending order, dormant Police FC (1-0-0, 3 points), who must tackle W Connection from 6pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium on Tuesday in their second game of the season, Jabloteh and Defence Force, both with a 1-0-1 record and 3 points, occupy fourth, fifth and six positions respectively, with the latter jumping three spots.
Jameel “Shooter” Neptune gave Morvant Caledonia—coming off a 3-1 win at Point Fortin Civic—a 1-0 lead three minutes before the break when he struck low past an advancing goalkeeper Cleon John following a quick exchange with Akim Armstrong to get beyond the Rangers backline.
However the lightening-paced Neptune, along with Rangers captain Shakiyl Phillip, both saw red just beyond the hour mark for violent conduct that led to a brawl which was quelled by the quick action of referee Keilon Bacchus and his assistants Caleb Wales and Kevin Charles.
By then the score had already been levelled at 1-1.
Rangers’ pre-season defensive acquisition Devon Drayton had blasted into the roof of Morvant Caledonia goalkeeper Stephon Seepersad’s net from close range after meeting a lofted Kordell Samuel pass inside the area in the 48th minute.
Rangers, following a Morvant Caledonia handball in the area, had an excellent opportunity to take the lead in the 71st minute against a side that had also rocked their crossbar from a Kareem Joseph free kick midway through the first half. But Sedale Mc Lean audaciously tried to duplicate a penalty he converted in a 2-0 win over Defence Force a week ago by starting his run-up at the top of the box with his back facing the goal. This time Mc Lean’s end result only offered for a routine save by goalkeeper Seepersad, who kept out the effort at his left.
Then in stoppage-time Rangers frontman Devon Modeste spilled wide with Seepersad at his mercy following a surging run down the left by full-back Kareem Baptiste to set up the veteran attacker, who had earlier been denied by the legs of the Morvant Caledonia ‘keeper.
In the second game, Devorn Jorsling converted a late penalty as Defence Force exacted revenge over Jabloteh, who had defeated the Army/Coast Guard combination by the same 2-1 score last season when both sides met for the first and only other time at the Barataria venue.
Jabloteh’s captain, Damian Williams, was given his marching orders by referee Crystal Sobers, who issued the Jamaican a direct red card for dissent during his protest, arguing that the handball ruled against Aquil Selby occurred outside the area.
However it was business as usual for league’s all-time top scorer, Jorsling, who slotted the ball into the right bottom corner of goalkeeper Shemel Louison’s net with two minutes of regular time left.
Louison, who had picked the wrong corner, was first beaten in the 22nd minute when Defence Force midfielder and captain Jerwyn Balthazar executed a glancing header off a Kerry Joseph free kick to put Defence Force ahead 1-0 after Jorsling was barged to the ground outside the left of the area.
Defence Force surrendered the lead in the 75th minute when Trinidad and Tobago international Willis Plaza, who was denied on either side of the break by Defence Force goalkeeper Sheldon Clarke, grabbed the equaliser (1-1) with a powerful header after towering the Army defence to meet a right side Jevon Morris cross.
And after Jorsling’s item from the spot, Jabloteh substitute forward Jamal Gay thought he had earned his side another equaliser after knocking in a spill by goalkeeper Clarke in stoppage-time, but, instead, an infringement on the ‘keeper was ruled against the frontman.
Results
St. Ann’s Rangers 1 (Devon Drayton 48’) vs Morvant Caledonia United 1 (Jameel Neptune 42’), at Barataria Recreation Ground;
San Juan Jabloteh 1 (Willis Plaza 75’) vs Defence Force 2 (Jerwyn Balthazar 22’, Devorn Jorsling 88’), at Barataria Recreation Ground.
Teams
St. Ann’s Rangers: 1.Cleon John (GK), 5.Devorn Drayton, 8.Jameel Antoine, 11.Kazim Donald (33.Osaze Springer 84th minute), 20.Kareem Baptiste, 30.Lester Durham, 6.Dylon King, 7.Seedale Mc Lean, 10.Devon Modeste (Yellow), 28.Shakiyl Phillip (Red Card), 19.Tafari Williams (9.Jomoul Francois 69th minute)
Unused substitutes: 22.Christopher Biggette (GK), 16.Richard Williams, 32.Marvin Lee, 44.Dyllon Lara, 17.Francis Rojas
Coach: Anthony Streete
Morvant Caledonia United: 30.Stephon Seepersad (GK), 5.Seon Thomas, 7.Kordell Samuel, 9.Jair Edwards (10.Sheldon Holder 84th minute), 12.Kareem Joseph, 15.Otev Lawrence, 16.Amos Ramsay (Yellow) (23.Lester Joseph 80th minute), 17.Akim Armstrong, 18.Maestro Mensah, 21.Densill Theobald, 22.Jameel Neptune (Red Card)
Unused substitutes: 6.Taje Commissiong, 8.Anthony Charles, 11.Dominic Douglas, 14.Keron Bethelmy, 31.Hakeem Lucas (GK)
Coach: Rajesh Latchoo
Referee: Keilon Bacchus
Teams
San Juan Jabloteh: 30: Shemel Lousion (GK), 6.Akeem Benjamin, 8.Keyon Edwards (12.Kion Joseph 67th minute), 9.Willis Plaza, 10.Tyrone Charles, 11.Damian Williams (Red Card), 16.Brent Sam (23.Kennedy Hinkson 80th minute), 18.Jevon Morris, 19.Noel Williams (7.Jamal Gay 67th minute), 21.Aquil Selby, 24.Adrian Reid
Unused substitutes: 35.Andrew Durant (GK), 5.Elijah Manners, 15.Jerome Mc Intyre, 17.Josiah Trimmingham
Coach: Keith Jeffrey
Defence Force: 25.Sheldon Clarke (GK), 3.Jamali Garcia, 6.Rodell Elcock (Yellow Card), 9.Devorn Jorsling, 10.Hashim Arcia (18.Sean Narcis 68th minute), 12.Jemel Sebro, 13.Marvin Jones, 17.Curtis Gonzales, 23.Kerry Joseph (19.Thurlani George 89th minute), 26.Justin Garcia, 99.Jerwyn Balthazar (Capt.)
Unused substitutes: 1.Andre Marchan (GK), 2.Glynn Franklyn, 5.Devin Jordan, 8.Christopher Durity, 15.Brandon Fountain
Coach: Marvin Gordon
Referee: Crystal Sobers