Caledonia AIA continued their defence of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) FA Trophy with a 2-0 victory over fellow Pro League outfit Defence Force 2-0 in the second of back-to-back matches at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya on Monday night.
Striker Keyon Edwards guaranteed Caledonia a quarter-final spot with a pair, in the 80th and 85th minutes. It was a bad outing for Defence Force at Macoya as, in the earlier match, their Super League team fell 2-1 to Valtrin United from the Eastern FA.
Matthew Ramirez’s penalty, in the 90th minute, was the decider for Valtrin, as they booked a spot in the last eight. Akil Paynter put Valtrin ahead in the 43rd before Akil Pierre tied the scores in the 70th, but Ramirez proved to be the hero for the underdogs.
Another Eastern FA outfit, TT Air Guard/Coast Guard, were unable to progress to the “quarters”, as they were edged 3-2 by Southern FA squad Siparia Spurs, in the first match of a double-header at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.
Chris Collins carried Siparia to the next stage with a hat-trick (35th, 52nd and 90th), while Nestor Andrews (55th) and Wendell Isaac (85th) replied for Air Guard/Coast Guard.
The United Petrotrin-TTEC fixture at Marabella was the only encounter to be decided after regulation time, as national Under-20 striker Juma Clarence netted a 103rd minute winner for Petrotrin to prevail 1-0.
San Juan Jabloteh ended the 2009 season without a title, their first barren year in recent memory, as they were eliminated 3-1 by fierce rivals W Connection in the latter of back-to-back fixtures at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.
Marvin Oliver gave Jabloteh a 24th minute lead but Connection stormed back, as another midfielder, Trinidad and Tobago’s Clyde Leon notched a double, in the 61st and 86th, and Dominican Republic’s Jonathan Frias got the clincher in the 89th.
But Joe Public’s Eastern FA outfit strolled into the “quarters” with a 3-0 whipping of Southern FA squad Palo Seco SC, courtesy of a pair from Kevaughn Cornwall (25th and 44th) and one from Jovan Rochford (50th).
Joe Public’s Super League and Pro League teams had mixed results in their matches at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar – Ma Pau whipped Joe Public’s Super League outfit 4-1 while Joe Public’s Pro League unit crushed Dathea Football Academy (Northern FA) 7-1.
Ma Pau took the lead through striker Kerry Noray, in the 14th minute, while Rennie Britto doubled the lead 13 minutes later, racing down the right to collect Sayid Freitas’ pass before lifting his right-footer over the advancing goalkeeper Jevon Bourne.
Forward Dorian Robinson pulled one back for Joe Public’s Super League club in the 48th, directing a right-footed back-heel after Ma Pau’s goalie Shane Mattis had denied an effort from Ricardo Bennett.
But Anthony Wolfe restored Ma Pau’s two-goal lead in the 53rd, sending Bourne the wrong way from the penalty spot after referee Joseph Taylor belatedly called for a handle-ball infringement from captain Jamel Lewis.
Substitute Shandel Samuel ended the scoring in the 83rd minute, taking a pass from Kevin Molino and calmly lobbing the advancing Bourne.
The Joe Public (Pro League)-Dathea was, as expected, a no-contest, with the match decided in the blink of an eye, following a pair of spot-kicks, on the left, from midfielder Trent Noel.
In the sixth minute, his freekick was placed home by lanky left-back Keion Goodridge and, a minute later, central defender Carlyle Mitchell rose above the defence to divert Noel’s corner beyond goalie David Rodriguez.
In the 35th, Micah Lewis, on the right, nonchalantly sent the ball through Nicholas Mason’s legs before passing to Yu Hoshide to finish from close range while, in the 38th, Conrad Smith left two defenders, as well as Rodriguez, for dead before poking his shot into the vacant net.
Dathea got a life-line three minutes into the second half when they were awarded a penalty by ref Ishmael Mohammed after national Under-20 goalie Andre Marchan and Seon Power got in each other’s way, and Marchan was forced to take down Dathea forward Allan Pope. After his initial penalty was saved, Mason drilled home the rebound.
But Joe Public reclaimed their four-goal cushion in the 65th, as a quickly-taken freekick from Noel found Smith who placed his right-footer beyond the advancing Rodriguez.
After Dathea’s substitute Darnel Edwards got a pair of cards, in the 82nd (ending his four-minute stay), Micah Lewis finished a neat midfield build-up with a well-taken goal in the 88th, while Smith completed his hat-trick with a penalty, in stoppage time, following a debatable call from Mohammed. The quarter-finals will be contested on Sunday while the semi-finals are due for December 6 and the final on December 9.