The teams that hold the top three positions on the Sportworld Super League table had some difficulty getting points out of their eighth round matches yesterday.
Table-toppers Police barely managed to hold on to the lead wrested from Superstar Rangers on Wednesday as they fell 2-1 to Joe Public.
In the afternoon’s only match at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, Police played intelligently in the midfield and a got a dream start in the second minute of the game.
Kareem Joseph was released down the left side by a long ball out of defence and while the Joe Public defence struggled to deal with his pace, Police captain Jason Boodram slipped into the area and headed in Joseph’s pinpoint cross at the far post.
As both teams settled into the match, Public became increasingly assertive going forward and got the breakthrough in the 10th minute after winning a corner-kick .
The initial clearance of Public’s driven corner from the left side prevented a chance on goal but fell to Wolry Wolfe whose first touch set up Dale Saunders’ well placed shot from the edge of the area to the left of Anthony Marshall, in goal for Poilce.
With the scores level play became increasingly physical and in the 24th minute Wendell Joseph was carded for a rough tackle on Wolfe who eventually picked himself up to play a hand in public’s second goal and the eventual game winner.
Wolfe’s low cross into the Police area was prodded across to Brazillian Leandro Moncao who made no mistake as he put the ball back across Marshall’s goal and into the lower right corner of the net.
Police retorted with a swift counter attack and Boodram was unlucky to not bring his team level as he watched his shot beat Public custodian Jacomenco Barnett but came off the crossbar, the rebound fell to Wendell Joseph but, with the ‘keeper at his mercy he steered his shot wide of the target, the second half yielded no goals.
At the Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya, second placed Crab Connection shred the points with third placed Rangers after the two teams struggled to a 2-2 draw.
Akudo Goodridge sought to make up for his poor showing in Rangers 3-2 loss to Angostura 1976 Phoenix on Wednesday and got the game’s opening goal in the 18th minute, Phoenix drew level in the 21st minute through Marvin Oliver and went aheadd in the 27th courtesy Warren Butler.
Goodridge salvaged a point for Rangers in the 63rd minute of the match to keep his team in the running to recapture its lead.
Central giants Couva Players United and PLIPDECO Caroni could not be separated and relied on late goals to come out of their match with a 2-2 draw at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.
Couva’s Kevin Adams and Jason Marcano put them ahead 2-0 with goals inthe 61st and 69th minutes but Caroni fought its way back into the contest as Kevin Joseph and Ryan Dipsingh scored in the 76th and 88th minutes.
Stokely Vale beat Maraval Youth Academy 3-1 on goals from Kayode Legall (56th), Seon Christmas (86th) and Michael Codrington (88th) at the Trinity College ground, Moka.
And the WASA Clean and White versus Media 21 match at the WASA ground, St Joseph had to be postponed due to a waterlogged field.
Matches continue on Wednesday.
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