Mason Hall slammed Couva Sports 6-0 at the Plymouth Recreation Ground yesterday as the First Round of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) FA Trophy competition kicked off.
Kareem Robley netted a hat-trick, in the 23rd, 64th (both penalties) and 89th minutes, while Terry Sandy (77th and 79th) chipped in with two and Kevon Adams (35th) one.
North East Stars got off the blocks late and needed extra time to eliminate West Side Stars 5-2 at the St Anthony’s College Ground.
Raymond St Hilaire gave West Side a seventh minute lead before Randolph Jerome equalised in the 38th. Sheldon Taylor restored West Side’s lead but Akiel Guevara tied the scores in the 68th.
However, it was one-way traffic in extra time, with items from Guevara (97th and 115th) and national utility player Anthony Wolfe (117th).
Caledonia AIA booked a spot in the next round after cruising past hosts Biche United 4-1, at the Biche Recreation Ground.
Ryan Stewart (13th), Jean-Luc Rochford (51st), Shawn Beveney (69th penalty) and Abdallah Phillip (89th) were the goal-getters for Caledonia while Marvin Gooding (25th) notched Biche’s consolation.
Jasimar Ashers got the winner, after 48 minutes, as 1st FC Santa Rosa pipped Caroni Connection at Woodford Lodge in Caroni, while Defence Force’s Super League squad overcame Eagles 3-1 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium’s Training Ground in Mucurapo.
Kevin Jagdeosingh (14th), Dwight Scott (37th) and Sherman Phillip (78th) found the back of the net for Defence Force while Joseph Farrell (58th) responded for Eagles.
Damarie Hill Reunited needed kicks from the penalty spot to defeat PAL United 4-3, at the Damarie Hill Recreation Ground, after both teams were locked at 3-3 after 120 minutes of regulation and extra time.
Goal City edged TTEC 2-1 at the Dwight Yorke Stadium’s Training Ground in Bacolet while Queen’s Park blanked St Clair Coaching School 2-1 at the Canaan Recreation Ground.
Champions Joe Public cruise in FA Trophy.
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express).
The Trinidad and Tobago Pro League may be a notch or two below world standard, but judging from first round FA Trophy results it is still far better than the rest of T&T's football.
There was just one upset in the FA Trophy opening round, the 2-1 defeat of bmobile National Super League leaders T&TEC by Goal City of Tobago.
All the local professional teams that played lower division opposition advanced without problems, including defending champions Joe Public, who enjoyed a comfortable 2 -0 victory over east Trinidad club Real Maracas, at the Marvin Lee Stadium, in Macoya.
Joe Public were better overall, but faced tough defensive opposition until striker Kerry Baptiste broke the deadlock in the 41st minute when taking Gason Gregory's pass and screwing a low shot past Kelon Rampersad, the Real Maracas goalie.
Rampersad had a good match, making several timely saves, but was helpless in trying to prevent Andre Toussaint from doubling Joe Public's lead at 2-0 in the 65th. Running into the penalty area, Toussaint forced the keeper out before sliding a low shot into the far corner.
Joe Public's one moment of panic came when Maracas midfielder Shane Glasgow broke down the centre of the penalty area and forced a save from keeper Marvin Phillip, who barely pushed the ball round a post.
In the opening game of the double-header, a youthful Joe Public Super League team outclassed a Defence Force (North Zone) "pick-up side" of mainly heavy-set, pot-bellied soldiers and beat them 9-0.
But the Army players were not without support, and by the time Quincy Clarke knocked in Joe Public's seventh goal in the 74th minute, the most vocal Defence Force supporter shouted: "Doh worry fellas, we have 16 minutes to score eight goals...they dead". Somehow, he did not seem sincere.
WEDNESDAY'S RESULTS
Joe Public-Pro 2 (Kerry Baptiste 41st, Andre Toussaint 65th) vs Real Maracas 0
San Juan Jabloteh-Pro 3 (Jason Marcano 56th, 78th, Atualla Guerra 89th) vs Valtrin FC 0
Ma Pau 0 vs W Connection 0 - Ma Pau won 3-2 on penalty-kicks
St Ann's Rangers 5 (Josimar Belgrave 3, Jamil Reece, Ronald Musgrave) vs Malabar 0.
Caledonia AIA 4 (Ryan Stewart 13th, Jean-Luc Rochford 51st, Shawn Beveney 69th, Abdullah Phillip 89th) vs Biche Utd 1 (Marvin Gooding 25th)
Defence Force - Pro 9 (Ronald St Louis 3rd, Albert Thornhill 6th, Owen Matthews 36th, 49th, Akil Pierre 47th, 54th, 79th, Balendemu Julius 82nd, Marvin Jones 86th) vs S&E Diamond United 1 (Akinola Williams 88th)
Joe Public-Super 9 (Brandon Sampson 1st, 17th, Dwayne Baird 22nd, 27th, Keston Henry 35th, Michael Waldron 56th, 76th, Quincy Clarke 74th, Dwight Gay 80th) vs Defence Force-NFA 0
North East Stars 5 (Randolph Jerome 38th, Akiel Guevara 68th, 97th, 115th, Anthony Wolfe 117th) vs West Side Starz 2 (Raymond St Hillaire 7th, Sheldon Taylor 63rd)
Damarie Hill Reunited 3 vs PAL United 3 - Damarie Hill won 4-3 on penalty-kicks
La Brea All Stars 3 (Alvin Alexander 2, Lindsie Sherwood) vs Petit Valley 2 (Anthony Joseph 2)
QPCC 2 (Jerome Charles 5th, 46th) vs St Clair CS 1 (Kino Proctor 88th)
Valencia Utd 3 vs St Francois National 2
Defence Force-Super 3 (Kevin Jagdeosingh, Dwight Scott, Sherman Phillip) vs Eagles FC 1 (Joseph Farrell)
Santa Rosa 1 (Jasimar Ashers 48th) vs Caroni Connection 0
Goal City 2 (Akini Ferguson 12th, Kerlon Ferguson 73rd) vs T&TEC 1 (Jamal Ayres 53rd)
Mason Hall USSS 6 (Kareem Robley 23rd pen, 64th pen, 89th, Terry Sandy 77th, 79th, Kevon Adams 35th) vs Couva Sports 0
2ND ROUND DRAW
St Ann's Rangers vs Valencia United
Goal City vs NE Stars
Defence Force (Pro League) vs Damarie Hill Reunited
La Brea All Stars vs Queen's Park
Caledonia AIA vs Defence Force (Super League)
1st FC Santa Rosa vs Ma Pau
Mason Hill Utd vs Joe Public (Super League)
Joe Public vs San Juan Jabloteh
Figueroa guides Ma Pau past W Connection.
By: Nigel Simon (Guardian).
Goalkeeper, Alejandro Figueroa pulled off three saves in the penalty kick shoot-out to lead Ma Pau past last year’s runner-up W Connection 3-2 in their T&T Football Association FA Trophy round-of-16 encounter on Wednesday night.
This was in the feature match of a double-header at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva and was also the only all-Digicel Pro League clash in the round.
At the end of the 90 minutes of regulation-time and 30 minutes of extra-time, the “Casino Boys” and the “Savonetta Boys” of W Connection, winners in 1999, 2000 and 2002 failed to break the deadlock, sending the match into the dreaded penalty shoot-out where Ma Pau prevailed.
For Ma Pau, Cornel Thomas, Lyndon Andrews (Chubby) and Seon Power scored their attempts while Shane Calderon (German) and Kerry Noray muffed their efforts. However, W Connection, which has reached the final six-times including 2008 and 2009 did not fare much better as only two of their first five kickers scored.
Romauld Aguillera and Tiba Mc Knight converted while Silvio Spann, Colombian Christian Viveros and club captain, St Lucian Elijah Joseph had their efforts kept out by Figueroa, a former W Connection custodian.
Defending champion and four-time winner (2001, 2004, 2007 and 2009), bmobile Joe Public shut out Eastern Football Association FA winner, M&M Real Maracas 2-0 at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya to set up an all-Pro League last-16 meeting with Pro League rivals, San Juan Jabloteh.
Club captain and national striker Kerry Baptiste (41st) and Andre Toussaint (65th) got the goals for the Eastern Lions. Down at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, 1998 and 2005 winner, Jabloteh coasted past Super League club, Valtrin FC 3-0 led by a brace from Jason Marcano (56th & 78th).
The other Pro League clubs DirecTV North East, Caledonia AIA, St Ann’s Rangers and Defence Force won their matches.