Defence Force, still fired up by last Friday’s First Citizens Cup crowning, were ruthless against Point Fortin Civic to add encouragement to their miserable 2016-2017 Digicel Pro League campaign with a 7-2 hammering of the table-propping southerners.
Hashim Arcia scored a hat-trick while Devorn Jorsling and Jemel Sebro each netted twice for the Army/Coast Guard combination in the opening game of Tuesday’s double-header at the Ato Boldon Stadium before W Connection whipped defeated First Citizens Cup finalists Ma Pau Stars 4-2.
The result, only Defence Force’s third league win from nine matches which includes 5 defeats and one draw, improved coach Marvin Gordon’s side’s eight position to 10 points—but sit 15 points away from leaders and two-time defending champions Central FC (25 points).
Meanwhile Connection, on 22 points in second, moved within three points of rivals Central, who, last Friday, secured the Rawle Fletcher (Round One) trophy with a 2-1 win over San Juan Jabloteh in their final game of the round.
Ma Pau are fifth on the league standings, tied on 13 points with fourth-positioned Club Sando, while Civic, with just one point after round one, are anchored at the bottom.
Connection took early control against Ma Pau with Suriname international forward Dimitrie Apai scoring twice within the first thirty minutes but had their lead sliced in half by Stars forward Kerry Baptiste right after the Savonetta Boys celebrated their second item.
However a second-half double by midfielder Hughtun Hector within a seven-minute span, with his first on the hour mark, put coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier’s Connection in total control for their seventh straight league win before Sayid Freitas had the last say with a second consolation in stoppage-time for the Stars, who were edged by Defence Force 1-0 in the First Citizens Cup final.
Former Connection attacking midfielder Arcia was the star of Tuesday’s league double-header, netting once in the first half and twice after the break, only interrupted by team-mate Sebro’s first half double, in Defence Force’s remarkable 7-2 win over Civic.
Jorsling, who copped the Player of the Tournament and Most Goals awards in the First Citizens Cup with his seven goals in the tournament, had given Defence Force the lead in the first minute of play and completed his double with his side’s final item just over the hour mark.
Jamille Boatswain scored both Civic goals after Defence Force had wrapped up their scoring, but the forward’s efforts weren’t enough to snap the Point Fortin side’s winless run in all competitions this season.
Defence Force will next face St. Ann’s Rangers on Tuesday 13 Dec. against Rangers from 6pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, while Connection must tackle Central on Monday 12 Dec. from 6:30pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium.
Results
Tuesday 6 December 2016)
Defence Force 7 (Devorn Jorsling 1’, 64’, Hashim Arcia 14’, 59’, 61’, Jemel Sebro 38’, 45’+) vs Point Fortin Civic 2 (Jamille Boatswain 71’, 82’)
W Connection 4 (Dimitrie Apai 14’, 31’, Hughtun Hector 60’, 67’) vs Ma Pau Stars 2 (Kerry Baptiste 32’, Sayid Freitas 90’+)
(Sunday 4 December 2016)
Morvant Caledonia United 1 (Densill Theobald 45’) vs Police FC 3 (Todd Ryan 34’, Elijah Belgrave 62’, Keion Wilson 67’), at Hasely Crawford Stadium.
Club Sando 3 (Akeem Roach 26’, 69’, Keron Cornwall 47’) vs St. Ann’s Rangers 1 (Jomoul Francois 8’), at Manny Ramjohn Stadium.
Upcoming Games
(Friday 9 December 2016)
Morvant Caledonia United vs Point Fortin Civic—6pm, Hasely Crawford Stadium
San Juan Jabloteh vs Club Sando—8pm, Hasely Crawford Stadium
(Monday 12 December 2016)
W Connection vs Central FC—6:30pm, Ato Boldon Stadium
(Tuesday 13 December 2016)
St. Ann’s Rangers vs Defence Force—6pm, Hasely Crawford Stadium
Police FC vs Ma Pau Stars—8pm, Hasely Crawford Stadium