Three different players netted second-half goals as three-time champions Defence Force trounced host Point Fortin Civic 3-0 to widened their lead at the top of the T&T Pro League standings on Friday night.
Playing in the lone match at the Mahaica Oval, Point Fortin, the "Teteron Men" found the going tough early on and went into the half-time interval locked at 0-0 with Pt Fortin Civic.
However, southerner Hashim Arcia, formerly of W Connection finally broke the deadlock for the visitors from the penalty spot in the 62nd minute.
Two minutes from full-time ex-T&T international and the all-time T&T Pro League leading scorer, Devorn Jorsling with 150-plus goals to his name added another in the 88th minute before Reon Moore made it three goals in two matches with his team's third in the 92nd.
The win lifted Defence Force to 23 points from ten matches, four ahead of new second-placed club Terminix La Horquetta Rangers who crushed cellar-placed Cunupia FC 8-1 at La Horquetta Recreation Ground, Phase II, La Horquetta.
T&T international Tyrone Charles started and ended the onslaught for Rangers with goals in the first and 92nd minutes while Jamal Creighton (56th & 61st), the league's top scorer with eight goals, and Isaiah Lee (60th & 68th) also netted twice each in the lopsided contest.
The duo of Kishun Seecharan (48th) and Aikim Andrews (77th) were also on target for Rangers who have now netted a league-high 33 goals in ten matches, while Kevon "Showtime" Woodley got Cunupia's lone item in the 20th minute, a penalty for his team to go into the half-time at 1-1.
At the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, San Juan Jabloteh and Tiger Tanks Club Sando both recorded 3-2 victories over First Citizens Cup winners' Police FC and reigning league champions and record six-time winners W Connection, respectively.
In the opener, the Angus Eve-coached Club Sando looked on course for a much-needed win when Keron Cornwall (21st) and Michael Basdeo (32nd penalty) netted for a 2-0 lead at the interval.
On the resumption, Neil Benjamin Jr sliced the lead in the half for the "Savonetta Boys" in the 61st minute, but Shaqkeem Joseph ten restored Club Sando's two-goal cushion at 3-1 with ten minutes left in the match.
Two minutes later, Nathaniel James got another for W Connection to set up a tight finish, but at the end Club Sando held on for the much-needed win.
Police FC went into their match against Jabloteh confident of picking up maximum points and within three minutes of the kick-off, Christian Thomas had them on their way in the second match at Couva, only for Nical Stephens to level the score three minutes to the half-time whistle.
Seven minutes into the second half, Stevens went from hero to villain when he turned the ball into his net to give Police FC a 2-1 lead.
The youthful Jabloteh line-up did not give up and in the 78th minute, Kadeem Hutchinson drew them level before Renaldo Francois snatched an 88th-minute winner.
(Teams - by Wired868)
Police FC (4-2-3-1): 1.Terrence Lewis (GK); 27.Kaydion Gabriel, 20.Elijah Belgrave, 8.Kurdell Brathwaite, 19.Christon Thomas; 4.Kadeem Boyce (7.Jabari Mitchell 80), 13.Dillon Kirton; 29.Clevon McFee (35.Juma Clarence 85), 15.Christian Thomas (32.Keion Wilson 63), 10.Kareem Freitas; 9.Jameel Perry (captain).
Unused substitutes: 18.Adrian Foncette (GK), 5.Kenaz Williams, 6.J’deem Parris, 26.Marcus Chandool.
Coach: Richard Hood
San Juan Jabloteh (4-1-4-1): 30.Christopher Bigette (GK); 14.Nickolai Orr (15.Kadeem Hutchinson 63), 20.Shakiyl Phillip, 12.Sévère Verilus, 16.Brandon Semper; 4.Nical Stephens (captain), 11.Micah Lansiquot; 8.Dellon Jaggasar; 18.Jair Edwards, 9.Kendell Hitlal (5.Aquil Selby 83); 19.Shawndell Augustus (10.Renaldo Francois 63).
Unused substitutes: 35.Jesse Peters (GK), 2.Kerdell Sween, 21.Kareem Eastman, 26.Trevon Weekes, 27.Jaheim Faustin.
Coach: Keith Jeffrey
Referee: Rashby McPhie
Wired868 Man of the Match: Brandon Semper (San Juan Jabloteh)
Friday's Results
(Friday 31 January)
W Connection 2 (Neil Benjamin 61st, Nathaniel James 82nd) v Club Sando 3 (Keron Cornwall 21st, Michael Basdeo 32nd-Pen, Shaqkeem Joseph 80th), 6pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;
San Juan Jabloteh 3 (Nical Stephens 42nd, Kadeem Hutchinson 78th, Renaldo Francois 88th) v Police FC 2 (Christian Thomas 3rd, Nical Stephens 52nd Own-Goal), 8pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;
La Horquetta Rangers 8 (Tyrone Charles 1st, 92nd, Jamal Creighton 56th, 61st, Isaiah Lee 60th, 68th, Kishun Seecharan 48th, Aikim Andrews 77th) v Cunupia FC 1 (Kevon Woodley 20th-Pen), 7pm, La Horquetta Recreation Ground.
Point Fortin Civic 0 v Defence Force 3 (Hashim Arcia 62nd-Pen, Devorn Jorsling 88th-Pen, Reon Moore 92nd), 7pm, Mahaica Oval.
Upcoming Fixtures
(Sunday 2 February)
AC Port of Spain v Morvant Caledonia United, 3:30pm, Larry Gomes Stadium.
Central FC - Bye
(Tuesday 4 February)
Police FC v Cunupia FC, 6pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;
San Juan Jabloteh v Tiger Tanks Club Sando, 6pm, Hasely Crawford Stadium Training Field;
Terminix La Horquetta Rangers v Defence Force, 7pm, La Horquetta;
(Wednesday 5 February)
AC Port of Spain v Central FC, 6pm, Hasely Crawford Stadium Training Field;
W Connection v Morvant Caledonia United, 7pm, Ato Boldon Stadium.
Latest Team Standings
Teams*P*W*D*L*F*A*Pts
1. Defence Force FC*10*7*2*1*17*9*23
2. L.H Rangers*10*6*1*3*33*13*19
3. Police FC*10*5*2*3*19*10*17
4. Morvant Caledonia*9*4*4*1*11*7*16
5. Jabloteh*10*3*4*3*13*16*13
6. W Connection*9*3*3*3*15*13*12
7. Point Fortin Civic*9*3*3*3*12*15*12
8. AC Port-of-Spain*9*3*1*5*11*24*10
9. Central FC *10*2*3*5*9*13*9
10. Club Sando*10*2*3*5*10*15*9
11. Cunupia FC*10*0*4*6*7*22*4
Leading Scorers
8 - Jamal Creighton (La Horquetta Rangers);
6 - Keion Wilson (Police FC), Kervile Jeremiah (Point Fortin Civic), Isaiah Lee (La Horquetta Rangers);
4 - Keron Cummings, Tyrone Charles (La Horquetta Rangers), Rashad Hyacenth (AC PoS), Dimitrie Apai (W Connection), Christian Thomas (Police FC), Shaqkeem Joseph (Club Sando);
3 - Sean Bonval (Central FC), Aaron Richards (Morvant Caledonia), Kareem Freitas (Police FC), Kevon Woodley (Cunupia FC).