IT SEEMED a good enough reason to laugh when North East Stars joined the Trinidad and Tobago professional football ranks two years ago. And after losing their first 20 matches they had become sort of a running joke. Now, now one is laughing.
On Wednesday night, Stars scored the most decisive victory of their short history, a 3-1 defeat of defending champions CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh at the Larry Gomes Stadium, which had brought them on the verge of winning the 2004 T&T Pro League title. With just two matches left against Defence Force and Starworld Strikers on the next two Sundays, Stars need four points to win the title.
But chasers, Vibe CT 105 W. Connection kept in contention by twice rally from behind to beat Defence Force 3-2 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Wednesday night, despite using an inexperienced squad missing starters St Elijah Joseph, Brazilian Jose Luis Seabra, Aaron Black and Colombian keeper Alejandro Figueroa, who were all out due to injuries. Connection are now on 48 points, but still three adrift of leaders Stars, with their final two matches of the season against Arima-Morvant Fire and then the big one against Jabloteh on November 7, the final day of the season.
Yesterday, Connection owner David John-Williams issued a warning to North East Stars that the title race was still on and that the Sangre Grande team should not begin to make space for the league silverware until securing the four points they still need to be assured of the 2004 T&T Pro League league title. John Williams also announced that W. Connection had no fear of Jabloteh, who they have already beaten three times this season.
"The race is far from over," John-Williams declared. Football is a funny business, so North East Stars had better not think they have already won the title. This race is still wide open."
If Connection are alive, then the door has been firmly shut on 2002 & 2003 champions CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh, who have not played half as good as last season when Englishman Ricky Hill led them to the T&T Pro League, FCB Cup and Caribbean Club Championship titles. Already they have lost the FCB Cup and have almost certainly now also surrendered their T&T Pro League title as well.
The largest crowd to turn up at a league match for the season saw Stars begin brightly and taking a 9th minute lead through Jerren Nixon, who scored his 33rd goal of the season when converting a penalty, after United States-based Kevin Jeffrey was felled by Ian Gray, the big Jabloteh defender. And although Jabloteh also started with some zest, it all went down hill for the ex-champs after that.
Twenty-five minutes into the match, Jabloteh were already calling upon Michael Celestine and Otis Seaton, as replacement for Angus Eve and Kerry Baptiste, who were both stretched off with injuries. But injury hardly seemed to affect the outcome, because Stars were the more committed of the teams and want almost all of the close battles.
After going in with a 1-0 lead at the half, North East Stars doubled their tally to 2-0 in the 48th minute when striker Keryn Navarro headed in a left-side cross from midfielder Kern Thomas. And although Jabloteh's Michael Celestine and Ian Gray each hit the North East Stars crossbar, Stars still looked the team more likely to score again.
Eventually midfielder Kayode MCKinnon forced the ball into the goal from a scrimmage to give Stars a 3-0 in the 67th minute, before Trent Noel got Jabloteh's first goal by curling in a 87th minute free-kick. However, by then, Jabloteh were a frustrated bunch and it all got too much for Travais Mulrain, who after committing a few earlier fouls, was finally ejected by referee Richard Piper in the final minute after committing a rash challenge.
WEDNESDAY'S T&T PRO LEAGUE RESULTS:
North East Stars 3( Jerren Nixon - penalty/9th; Kewyn Navarro -48th; Kayode McKinnon - 68th) CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh 1(Trent Noel - 87th). Starworld Strikers 2 (Kevin Hernandez - 62nd; Mark Borde - 68th) Arima-Morvant Fire 2(Densil Theobald - 58th; Elliot James - 78th.
Defence Force 2 (Christon Baptiste - 26th; Sherman Phillip - 58th) W. Connection 2 (Williams da Silva Olivera - 57th; Andre Toussaint - 62nd/penalty; Titus Elva - 63rd).
REMAINING T&T PRO LEAGUE MATCHES:
(Sunday Oct 31st)
Morvant/Arima Fire v Vibe CT 105 W.Connection,5 p.m. Larry Gomes Stadium.
North East Stars v Defence Force, 4 p.m. Sangre Grande.
Starworld Strikers v CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh, 5 p.m. Manny Ramjohn Stadium
(Sunday Nov 7)
Morvant/Arima Fire v Defence Force, 5 p.m. Larry Gomes Stadium.
North East Stars v Starworld Strikers, 5 p.m. Manny ramjohn Stadium.
Vibe CT 105 W.Connection v CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh, 5 p.m. Hasely Crawford Stadium.