The leadership changed hands once again in National Super League action as Guaya United leapfrogged Defence Force to take top spot in the table. The soldiers have a game in hand however and may well return to the top after playing their extra match.
The league is almost halfway through the proceedings and matchday 10 provided endless action across the country as only one match ended in a draw on Thursday.
The defeat sees Defence Force relinquish their lead at the summit, which they held for weeks. They still however have a game in hand, and only trail first-placed Guaya United by one point going into matchday 11.
In a match Defence Force never seemed to control, they started brightly with a Michael Edwards effort finding the back of the net as early as the seventh minute. The goal however was an equaliser, as Marabella were already enjoying a 1-0 lead, Levi Garcia having opened the scoring in the second minute.
The slope became more slippery for the soliders, as Husani Thomas put the visitors ahead in the 32nd minute. Josimar Belgrave levelled again three minutes from the break to take the teams into the interval on level terms.
The second period saw no more goals, and just as Defence Force were beginning to believe they escaped from the jaws of defeat, Moodie struck near the end proving that Marabella had another sting in the tail.
Meanwhile, at the Guaya Recreation Ground, the home team were not to know the result further north and had to also fight to the end to gain maximum points agaisnt Police FC. Kheelon Mitchell's stoppage-time winner made sure that he and his teammates finished on the favourable end of a 3-2 victory.
It started well for the Guaya outfit however, as Ryan Stewart's opened in the fourth minute. Guaya would gift Police the equaliser on the hour mark as they inadvertently put one past their own keeper. Eight minutes later, Stewart would strike again to give Guaya the lead.
The three points seemed to be squandered when Dwight Elliot restored parity for the lawmen in the 87th minute. However, with the seconds ticking away, Mitchell found the back of the net to not only give Guaya the last-ditch win, but put them as the table toppers -- albeit presumably for a week.
WASA FC continued their upward climb, as they swept aside Stokely Vale FC 3-0 at their Farm Road Ground in St Joseph to move up to fourth in the standings. Jahann Hernandez scored a brace in the fourth and 70th minutes, while former Soca Warrior Gary Glasgow sealed the win with a third in the 90th.
Also making the slow climb were FC Santa Rosa, who beat Matura Re United 2-0 with Rashad Griffith and Christian Young getting on the scoresheet. Bethel United saw their way past Real Maracas FC, with Carron Williams and Dominique Roberts, who scored two, chipping in for a 3-1 win. Ricardo Bennett scored Maracas' only item in the contest.
Third-placed 1976 FC Phoenix edged NLCB La Horquetta 2-1 to move up two places from their fifth-place position in the standings last week. Steffano Wright and Shelton Williams did the damage for Phoenix while Kern Roberts registered a goal with La Horquetta.
Club Sando Moruga and Petrotrin Palo Seco played out the only draw of the day as they battled to a 2-2 draw at the Grand Chemin Recreation Ground. Shaquille Holder scored a brace for the home team, while Sylvester Teasdale deigned to match his efforts with a double of his own, that kept the score even at the end.
Results:
WASA FC 3 (Jahhan Hernandez 4, 72, Gary Glasgow 90+5) v Stokely Vale FC 0, WASA grounds, St Joseph;
Real Maracas FC 1 (Ricardo Bennett 81), Bethel United 3 (Carron Williams 35, Dominique Roberts 74, 89) v Maracas Recreation Ground;
NLCB La Horquetta SA 1 (Kern Roberts 73) v 1976 FC Phoenix 2 (Steffano Wright 49, Shelton Williams 90), Larry Gomes Stadium;
Club Sando Moruga 2 (Shaquille Holder 35, 89) v Petrotrin Palo Seco 2 (Sylvester Teesdale 58, 65), Grand Chemin Recreation Ground;
Guaya United 3 (Ryan Stewart 4, 68, Kheelon Mitchell 90), Police FC 2 (OG 60, Dwight Elliot 87), Guaya Recreation Ground;
Defence Force FC 2 (Michael Edwards 7, Josimar Belgrave 42) v Marabella Family Crisis Centre 3 (Levi Garcia 2, Husani Thomas 32, Kevin Moodie 87), Ato Boldon Stadium;
FC Santa Rosa 2 (Rashad Griffith 48, Christian Young 86) v Matura ReUnited 0, Marvin Lee Stadium.
Upcoming Fixtures - Championship Division
(Tuesday September 8.)
Saddle Hill Hotspur v Malabar FC, Hasely Crawford Stadium training field, 4.15 pm;
Petit Valley United FC v Barrackpore United SC, Northern Recreation Ground, Diego Martin, 6 pm;
QPCC v Cunupia FC, Queen’s Park Oval, 6 pm;
Xtra Foods Chaguanas FC v UTT, New Settlement Ground, Chaguanas, 7 pm;
Edinburgh 500 FC v Prisons FC, Edinburgh 500 Recreation Ground, 7 pm.
Guaya overtake Defence Force for first place.
T&T Newsday Reports.
GUAYA UNITED overtook Defence Force for first place in the CNG National Super League Premiership Division on Thursday.
In action on Match Day 10, Guaya overcame a stubborn Police FC 3-2 while Defence Force suffered their first defeat of the season, also by a 3-2 margin, against Marabella Family Crisis Centre.
At the Guaya Recreation Ground, the hosts opened the scoring in the fourth minute courtesy of their veteran midfielder Ryan Stewart but an own goal, on the hour mark, levelled up the scores.
Stewart put Guaya ahead for the second time in the match, eight minutes later, but Police fought back yet again and equalised through Dwight Elliott in the 87th.
However, there was a final twist, as Kheelon Mitchell netted the winner, in stoppage time, to push Guaya to 22 points after 10 matches.
Defence Force were unable to maintain their lead on the standings after going under to Marabella at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.
Trinidad and Tobago Under-20 midfielder Levi Garcia, who is preparing to take up a contract with AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch Eredivisie in November, put Marabella ahead after two minutes of play, but veteran utility player Michael Edwards equalised in the seventh minute.
Husani Thomas restored Marabella’s lead in the 32nd but, 10 minutes later, the in-form Josimar Belgrave knotted the scores for Defence Force.
However, with only three minutes of regulation time remaining, Kevin Moodie found the back of the net to guarantee full points for Marabella.
1976 FC Phoenix jumped two notches to third after a 2-1 victory over NLCB La Horquetta SA at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima.
Steffano Wright gave Phoenix the lead in the 49th before Kern Roberts evened the scores in the 73rd. But Shelton Williams continued the trend of late game-winners, as he got the goahead goal in stoppage time.
WASA FC climbed to fourth spot following a 3-0 spanking of last-placed Stokely Vale FC at the WASA Ground in St Joseph.
Jahhan Hernandez netted a pair, in the fourth and 70th minute, while ex-TT midfielder/striker Gary Glasgow sealed the deal in the 90th.
Bethel United emerged 3-1 winners over Real Maracas at the Maracas Recreation Ground in St Joseph.
Dominique Roberts scored twice for Bethel, in the 74th and 89th minutes, while Carron Williams got the other in the 35th.
Ricardo Bennett got the consolation for Maracas, in the 81st.
Rashad Griffith (48th) and Christian Young (86th) were the goal-getters as FC Santa Rosa eased past Matura Re United 2-0 at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya.
And, at the Grand Chemin Recreation Ground, Club Sando Moruga, the reigning champs, played to a 2-2 draw against Petrotrin Palo Seco.
Shaquille Holder (35th and 89th) found the back of the net for Club Sando Moruga while Sylvester Teesdale (58th and 65th) replied for Palo Seco.
Matches will continue on Sunday.
Fixtures (September 6) - Match Day 11:
Siparia Spurs vs Stokely Vale, Petrotrin Ground, Fyzabad;
Police vs Club Sando Moruga, St James Barracks;
Real Maracas vs Matura Re United, Maracas Recreation Ground;
NLCB La Horquetta SA vs WASA FC, Larry Gomes Stadium, 4 pm;
Petrotrin Palo Seco vs FC Santa Rosa, Palo Seco Velodrome;
Bethel United vs Marabella Family Crisis Centre, Montgomery Recreation Ground, 5 pm.
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