Former national youth striker Brent Sam and out-of-favour national defender Tyrone Charles scored second-half goals as San Juan Jabloteh ended a three-match winless run with a 2-0 defeat of in-form Club Sando on Friday night.
With the win in the feature match of the double-header at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, Jabloteh which was beaten in its previous two matches by front-runners, Central FC (2-1) and W Connection (3-0), improved to 19 points in third spot, six off two-time defending champions Central FC while W Connection is second with 22.
Sam, the brother of former national and England-based striker Hector Sam, broke the deadlock in the 50th minute while Charles added the insurance item in the 71st, for a much needed win for Jabloteh, ending the three-match winning streak of former Jabloteh player and coach, Angus Eve's Club Sando, which stayed fifth on 13 points, the same as Ma Pau Stars.
In the night's opening match, struggling duo, Morvant Caledonia United and Pt Fortin Civic shared the points in a 2-2 draw.
Pt Fortin Civic, which has not won a league match for the season to date, twice found itself in winning positions with a double strike from Jamille Boatswain, in the 34th and 46th, his fourth in two matches, after a brace as well in a 7-2 loss to Defence Force. However, the Rajesh Latchoo-coached Morvant Caledonia, which has not won a league match since the opening day of the season on September 30, 3-1 over the same opponent, managed to conjure up an equaliser on both occasions, first through Sheldon Holder two minutes before the half-time whistle, and then on the hour mark by club stalwart, Kareem Joseph.
The result left Morvant Caledonia, second from bottom on the 10-team table with seven points, six ahead of Pt Fortin Civic.
Tomorrow, attention will turn to the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, where Central FC, which captured the Rawle Fletcher Trophy as Round One winners, comes up against W Connection in a top-of-the-table duel, dubbed the "Couva Classico" while in-form Defence Force faces St Ann’s Rangers on Tuesday from 6 pm at Mucurapo.
Friday's Results
Morvant Caledonia United 2 (Sheldon Holder 43rd, Kareem Joseph 60th) vs Pt Fortin Civic 2 (Jamille Boatswain 34th, 46th)
San Juan Jabloteh 2 (Brent Sam 50th, Tyrone Charles 71st) vs Club Sando 0
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Jabloteh remain in third spot in Pro League.
By Joel Bailey (Nwsday).
SAN JUAN Jabloteh remained in third spot in the Digicel Pro League after a 2-0 victory over Club Sando on Friday evening at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo.
This game was the second of back-to-back Round Two Match Day One matches at the venue.
With national coach Tom Saintfiet in attendance, Jabloteh needed 49 minutes to break the deadlock. Right-back Jevon Morris placed a ball behind the Club Sando defence and Brent Sam, on the left, was on hand to hit a left-footed shot to the roof of the net.
There was a scary moment in the 62nd, when Jabloteh’s Kennedy Hinkson was given lengthy treatment, and subsequently taken to hospital, after a collision with the post.
The utility player was pursuing an aerial ball after Jamal Gay initially headed Kion Joseph’s freekick to the path of Hinkson - who struck goalkeeper Kelvin Henry’s shoulder before the upright.
According to a C News report last night, Jabloteh’s coach Keith Jeffrey stated that Hinkson was recovering at his home from a painful jaw.
However, Club Sando offered little in attack, and their defensive mindset proved costly in the 70th minute.
Nathan Lewis sent a pass to Tyrone Charles, whose finished, via a deflection, from close range.
In the earlier meeting at Mucurapo on Friday, Morvant Caledonia United and Point Fortin Civic played to a 2-2 draw.
In a clash of the table- proppers, Jamille Boatswain netted both goals for Point Fortin, in the 34th and 46th, while Sheldon Holder (43rd) and Kareem Joseph (60th) replied for Caledonia.
The top two teams on the points standings, Central FC and W Connection, will face off in a keenly-anticipated battle at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva tomorrow.
And action will return to Mucurapo on Tuesday with a pair of fixtures - St Ann’s Rangers will tackle Defence Force from 6 pm while Police will meet Ma Pau Stars two hours later.