Joe Public stay top

Joe Public stayed atop the standings with 38 points, but TTEC remained hot on their heels, two points adrift of the leaders, while Club Sando leapt from sixth place to third, overtaking Harvard, 1976 FC Phoenix and Queen’s Park.

At the Sangre Grande Recreation Ground, the visiting Joe Public stormed to an early two-goal cushion with items from Michael Waldron, in the seventh minute, and Ricardo Bennett in the tenth. Kevin Jagdeosingh pulled one back for the knockout champs in the 26th but Economy Strikers were unable to notch the equaliser.

TTEC continued their impressive debut in the tournament after getting past the Parkites 1-0 in the second of back-to-back encounters at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, with Jamal Ayres netting the crucial goal in the 56th.

Earlier at Marabella, Club Sando displaced Harvard for third spot courtesy of a 3-0 spanking of the St James-based outfit, with Marlon Lewis (14th), Andy Lindon (18th) and Jeremy Providence (89th) on target.

Phoenix remained in fourth position on the 12-team standings, despite a goal-less draw versus Carenage United at Canaan, Bon Accord while Defence Force moved from seventh to fifth following a 7-0 massacre on the wooden-spooners Harlem Strikers at the Army Base in Chaguaramas.

Allister Ramlochan registered a hat-trick, with items in the eighth, 27th and 64th, while Bevon Lewis (sixth and 82nd) and Akil Pierre (14th and 71st) chipped in with two goals apiece.

And, in a clash of lower-placed outfits, St Francois Nationals prevailed 1-0 at hosts WASA in St Joseph, via an 83rd minute goal from Maurice Rubain. Games on Match Day 18 will be staged tomorrow.

STANDINGS

Teams P W D L F A Pts
Joe Public 16 12 2 2 42 16 38
TTEC 16 12 0 4 36 18 36
Club Sando 16 8 2 6 36 28 26
Phoenix 16 8 2 6 26 19 26
Defence Force 16 7 5 4 30 25 26
Harvard 16 7 4 5 30 24 25
Queen’s Park 16 7 4 5 32 27 25
Economy Strikers 15 6 1 8 24 26 19
WASA 16 5 3 8 30 29 18
St Francois 15 4 3 8 19 29 15
Carenage 16 4 3 9 18 32 15
Harlem 16 3 3 10 13 39 12