SHOULD North East Stars go on to capture the 2004 T&T Pro League title, much credit will have to go to yesterday's outstanding goalkeeping performance by their reserve goalkeeper Mikhail Peters.
Given the chance to start because of injury to first choice custodian Trevor Nottingham, Peters brought off at least three outstanding second-half saves to gave leaders Stars a valuable 0-0 draw with visiting Morvant-Arima at Sangre Grande, as the Pro League "Top Six" playoffs got going.
But despite losing two valuable points, Stars kept the lead with 48 points from 22 matches, but now the pack can close. Defending champion CL Financial Jabloteh missed the chance to get closer when held 1-1 by the Defence Force at Hasely Crawford Stadium in another game yesterday. But because the two teams dropped points, third-placed Vibe CT 105 W. Connection could pull to within four points of the lead, if victorious in last night's late match against Starworld Strikers at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium.
Yesterday, both Connection's manager Raymond McLean and David John Williams made several calls to Grande enquiring about the score at various stages throughout the North East Stars match. But North East Stars owner Darryl Mahabir, was a lot more concerned that them after his team's draw. Mahabir said that with just four matches to go, the Pro League title race had become much closer and credited the shaky second half performance to nervousness on the part of his players.
But it could have been much worst had Peters not been at the top of his game to keep out Fire, who finished the stronger of the teams. Fire forward Alvis was clear down the centre of the penalty area and seem sure to score until Peters turned his low shot around the post. Later, he also barley beat Diaz to the ball inside the Stars penalty are and in the very dying minutes just got a hand to turn a dipping shot around his right upright.
Earlier, the home team had marginally the better of a tight first half, where Stars came closest to scoring when Keryn Navarro chipped the ball diagonally across goal and struck the far post of the Arima-Morvant Fire goal. Vincentian midfielder Kendall Velox was also foiled by a brilliant block from Fire keeper Michael Woods early in the second half, while Woods was well position when United States-based striker Kevin Jeffrey's glanced Velox's deep cross towards goal.
TODAY'S TOP SIX PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE:
Round 1
North East Stars 0
Morvant-Arima Fire 0
CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh 1(Travais Mulrain-73rd) Defence Force 1(0delle Armstrong-16th)