Police FC's intent to seal a double title at the T&T Pro League season, took a positive turn yesterday, courtesy Kareem Freitas' brace in a 4-1 thrashing of AC Port-of-Spain on Friday night at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo.
Freitas scored on each side of the half to send the Lawmen into the second position on the 10-team standings on 14 points, trailing leaders Defence Force by three points.
The First Citizens Cup winners were in control from start to finish, and it was only a lapse in concentration at the end that afforded their opponents a consolation item in the 92nd minute.
Police, known famously for its sturdy defence, had now sharpened up in offence, and Jameel Perry showed this when he handed them the advantage after just 18 minutes. Later Freitas opened his account in the 36th, the first of his double strike which sent the Lawmen to the half-time interval with a comfortable 2-0 lead.
Afterwards, the AC Port-of-Spain men, who struggled to contain the raging Police offence in the first session, would go three-down, courtesy Juma Clarence's item in the 61st minute that left the score at 3-0.
Freitas completed his double in the 77th minute when he fired in for a more-than-comfortable Police 4-0 lead. But with the game well into time-added-on, the former Sangre Grande-based team found the net from the boot of Sedale Mc Lean.
The result ensured that AC Port-of-Spain remained at ninth on the table, but multiple times Pro League winners W Connection had now dropped to fourth after a 2-2 tie with San Juan Jabloteh at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain Couva.
And in another game, Point Fortin Civic returned to their Mahaica Oval home ground with a 3-1 victory over Cunupia FC.
The Point Fortin men though had to come from behind after Xavier Rajpaul gave Cunupia the advantage in the 22nd minute. However, Kerville Jeremiah scored the equalizing goal in the 41st minute, before Tyrel Emmanuel, the former Shiva Boys Hindu School striker and Kern Edwards sealed the win for their team with items in the 68th and 80th minutes respectively.
Yesterday, leaders Defence Force was scheduled to face Morvant Caledonia United at the Couva venue, while Terminix La Horquetta Rangers and Central were to clash in a 4 pm encounter at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar Arima.
Yesterday's Results
(Friday 24 January)
W Connection 2 (Dimitri Apai 60th, 86th) v San Juan Jabloteh 2 (Jair Edwards 64th, Briel Thomas 89th Own-Goal), 6pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;
Police FC 4 (Jameel Perry 18th, Kareem Freitas 36th & 77th, Juma Clarence 61st) v AC Port of Spain 1 (Sedale Mc Lean 90+2), 6pm, Hasely Crawford Stadium;
Point Fortin Civic 3 (Kerville Jeremiah 41st, Tyrel Emmanuel 68th, Kern Edwards 80th) v Cunupia FC 1 (Xavier Rajpaul 22nd), 7pm, Machica Oval;
Standings
Teams*P*W*D*L*GF*GA*GD*Points
1*Defence Force FC*7*5*2*0*11*6*5*17
2*Police FC*8*4*2*2*13*7*6*14
3*Morvant Caledonia United*8*3*4*1*9*6*3*13
4*W Connection*7*3*3*1*13*6*7*12
5*Point Fortin Civic*7*3*3*1*11*7*4*12
6*Terminix La Horquetta Rangers*7*3*1*3*18*11*7*10
7*Central FC*8*2*3*3*8*9*-1*9
8*San Juan Jabloteh*8*2*3*3*9*13*-4*9
9*AC Port of Spain*8*2*1*5*10*24*-14*7
10*Club Sando*8*1*3*4*7*12*-5*6
11*Cunupia FC*8*0*3*5*5*13*-8*3
Upcoming Fixtures
(Saturday 25 January)
Central FC v La Horquetta Rangers, 3:30pm, Larry Gomes Stadium;
Defence Force v Morvant Caledonia United, 4pm, Ato Boldon Stadium.
Club Sando - Bye