STRIKER Keron Clarke took his series tally to seven goals, as La Horquetta Sporting Academy won 2-1 over nearest rivals Coosal’s Las Lomas United, to take the 2014 National Super League Qualifying series (formerly Champion of Champions) with a round of matches still to go.
La Horquetta have now won promotion to the semi-professional National Super League for the first time in their three-year history. They end the qualifying series away to Petrotrin Palo Seco, who moved to second with a 2-1 home win over Mathura Reunited on a pair of Jamaal Ayres goals.
Petrotrin can clinch the second qualifying spot to the Super League, if they beat La Horquetta on Sunday.
Last Sunday, Clarke and Anslem Jackson both scored for the second consecutive time as La Horquetta visited Madras Grounds, Cunupia, to meet the Central champions Las Lomas. Jackson gave the visitors an early 1-0 lead in just the seventh minute, before Clarke doubled it in the 77th. Carlon Hall gave the home team some hope with an 80th minute consolation goal.
Twenty-six year-old Clarke have scored in all four rounds of the competition, getting the winner in a 1-0 win over Tobago champs Goal City, then getting all four when beating North champions Queen’s Park 4-1. Both he and Jackson also scored in 2-1 away victories over Matura Reunited and Las Lomas.
Based in the La Horquetta Housing Project off Arima, La Horquetta SA have had a remarkable run for a three-year old club. Unsponsored, the team consists of players in the community and environs, who are not even paid a stipend to play.
Their first season in the Eastern Football Association in 2012, ended as runners-up to Malabar FC, the 2013 third-place National Super League finishers. The following year, La Horquetta won the EFA League title by 15 points, and completed the treble by adding the East FA Trophy and President’s Cup knockout as well.
NATIONAL SUPER LEAGUE QUALIFYING SERIES RESULTS:
Sunday
Coosal’s Las Lomas Utd 1 (Carlon Hall 80th) v La Horquetta SA 2 (Anslem Jackson 7th, Keron Clarke 77th)
Petrotrin Palo Seco 2 (Jamal Ayers 12th & 62nd) v Petrotrin Palo Seco 3 1 1 1 9 5 4 4 1 (Keron Vincent 44th)
QPCC v D’ Lime Bar Goal City. (Did not play. Ground unprepared.)
UPCOMING SUPER LEAGUE QUALIFYING MATCHES:
Saturday
5 p.m. - D’ Lime Bar Goal Cit vs Matura Reunited, Plymouth Rec. Grd., Tobago
Sunday
3.30 p.m. - Petrotrin Palo Seco vs La Horquetta SA, Palo Seco Rec. Grd, Palo Seco
3:30 p.m. - QPCC. vs Coosal’s Las Lomas Utd, Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain
STANDINGS
TEAMS P W L D GF GA GD Pts
La Horquetta SA 4 4 0 0 9 1 3 12
Petrotrin Palo Seco 3 2 1 1 11 7 4 7
Coosal’s Las Lomas Utd 4 1 1 2 6 6 0 5
Matura Reunited 4 0 2 2 6 8 -2 2
D’ Lime Bar Goal City 3 0 1 2 5 6 -1 2
QPCC 3 0 2 1 4 12 -8 1
Perfect La Horquetta qualifies for Super League
By Andrew Gioannetti (Guardian).
Forward Keron Clarke scored the winning goal and his seventh of the qualifying tournament to secure La Horquetta SA’s first ever qualification to the National Super League, on Sunday, after the club defeated Central’s Coosal’s Las Lomas 2-1 in the fourth of five Champions of Champions matches.
Anslem Jackson, a winger with the most assists in the competition, scored the opening goal and his second in as many matches in the seventh minute, before Clarke, who has scored in every match thus far, wrapped up the win with a 77th minute effort. Three minutes later, Las Lomas attempted a fightback when Carlon Hall scored to make it 2-1.
With that being the final goal of the match, La Horquetta confirmed a place in the National Super League after reaching an unassailable 12 points. This only three years after being promoted to the Eastern Football Association’s Premier Division. Even with a match remaining, La Horquetta has been confirmed champion of the six-team table comprising zonal association champions.
Meanwhile, Petrotrin Palo Seco kept its chances of qualifying as the second team alive when Jamal Ayers scored a double to lead the club to a 2-1 win over Eastern Counties’ Matura Reunited.
Ayers opened in the 12th minute and scored the winning goal soon after the hour-mark after Keron Vincent equalised for Matura a minute before the break. The result ruled Matura out of qualification.
Then, the third match carded between the bottom two teams, Queen’s Park Cricket Club and D’Bar Goal City failed to kick off.
An unprepared pitch at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port-of-Spain, lacking proper field markings, goal posts and corner flags were reportedly the cause of the cancellation, despite Goal City making the trip from Tobago. QPCC, using the pitch as its home venue for the match, was said to be responsible.
The match is unlikely to replayed, but a decision is still pending on the result.
With La Horquetta taking one of two available qualifying spots, and given Goal City is awarded three points, three teams remain with a chance of qualifying as the runner-up.
Petrotrin Palo Seco, which currently sits second will face La Horquetta in the final round on Sunday, from 3.30 pm, before Coosal’s Las Lomas meets a deflated QPCC at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, in the late 6 pm fixture. The round will open on Saturday, with Goal City taking on Matura Reunited, at Plymouth, Tobago, from 5 pm.
Results
La Horquetta SA 2 (Anslem Jackson 7th, Keron Clarke 77th) v Coosal’s Las Lomas 1 (Carlon Hall 80th)
Petrotrin Palo Seco 2 (Jamal Ayers 12th, 62nd) v Matura Reunited 1 (Keron Vincent 44th)
QPCC v D’Lime Bar Goal City – Did Not Play
Fixtures: Saturday
Goal City v Matura Reunited, Plymouth Recreation Ground, Tobago, 5 pm Sunday
Palo Seco v La Horquetta SA, Palo Seco Recreation Ground, 3.30 pm
QPCC v Coosal’s Las Lomas United, Hasely Crawford Stadium, PoS, 6 pm
Standings
Teams Pld W D L F A Pts
La Hor SA 4 4 0 0 9 1 12
Palo Seco 4 2 1 1 11 6 7
Las Lomas 4 1 1 2 6 6 5
Matura Re 4 0 2 2 6 8 2
Goal City 3 0 1 2 5 6 2
QPCC 3 0 2 1 4 12 1
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