STAR STRUCK
Defence Force would like to claim they are better than their lowly position in the T&T Pro League suggests. But, they could not even capitalise when given a man advantage for an entire half yesterday against North East Stars at Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya.
The Army-Coast Guard combination could not capitalise, though, losing 1-0 to the brave men from Sangre Grande.
It was a far cry from the old days when Defence Force won many titles by pressuring their opponents until they cracked. They are still the only local team to lift a CONCACAF Club Championship...but not this bunch.
Jorsling might well have been playing tag with Andrew Durant, Stars' substitute keeper, in the 55th minute when he gently turned Kevon Carter's pass to the custodian. Jorslyn could have taken a tip from Wolfe, who got Stars' winner in the seventh minute.
Collecting the ball with his right foot following a corner-kick, Wolfe eluded the defenders by moving the ball onto his weaker left foot and still managed to hit a powerful shot down the centre past keeper Kevin Graham.
Once behind, Defence Force chased the equaliser, but showed a definite lack of bite up front and were brittle at the back.
The Army's back line was breached several times by the North East Stars forwards. Striker Jason Cudjoe was through in the 23rd and forced a good save from keeper Graham. And when Guyanese Randolph Jerome also burst through, Graham again turned away his shot.
Defence Force did take the attack to the ten men from Sangre Grande, especially in the second half, but their efforts looked laboured. There were many chances and Army striker Kevon Carter somehow managed to turn over a perfect set-up from overlapping defender Keston Williams near the end of the first half.
And when Sherman Phillip dived low, he looked sure to head home but missed the ball. Stars then fortuitously also managed to clear the ball off the goal line, with their keeper well beaten.
All the time when his team was under pressure, Stars coach Clint Marcelle was shouting instructions. And they were able to still create three good chances on the break, although playing short.
Akeil Guevara and Sylvester Teesdale both failed to score when again through the opposing defence. But, Carlos Gonzales' miss was the most blatant. Faced only with the Army goalie, Gonzales went for the chip and cleared the crossbar.
Still, with the Defence Force unable to buy a goal, Gonzales could have missed as much as he liked and his team would still have secured all three points.
At the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, Tobago United ran out comfortable winners in the Pro League bottom-of-the-table clash with a 2-0 victory over Ma Pau.
Second half goals from Makesi Jackson and Carey Harris sealed three points for the visitors from the "Sister Isle". Tobago are now four points clear of Ma Pau and level on points with Defence Force, who have a better goal difference.
The "Casino Boys" started six of the seven Brazilians who debuted with a 3-2 win over the Army two weeks ago. But an uneven pitch and tight marking opponents nullified Ma Pau's samba.
Tobago spurned several opportunities before Jackson put them ahead in the 52nd minute when Ma Pau failed to clear from a corner kick. Harris, the Guyanese utility player, finished them off in the 72nd minute with a cool finish after a clever through pass from his compatriot Collie Hercules.
YESTERDAY'S T&T PRO LEAGUE RESULTS:
North East Stars 1 (Anthony Wolfe, 7th) vs Defence Force 0
Tobago United 2 (Makesi Jackson, 51st; Carey Harris, 73rd) vs Ma Pau 0