St. Ann's Rangers and Morvant Caledonia United have, for a second consecutive time, beaten Club Sando and Point Fortin Civic, respectively, to the main draw of a knockout competition this season.
Three-and-a-half weeks ago Rangers had edged Sando 1-0 and Caledonia were comfortable 3-0 winners over Civic in qualifier round of the Lucozade Sport Goal Shield, which the “Morvant Stallions” went on to win by defeating W Connection 4-1 in a penalty shootout following a 2-2 draw in the final last Sunday.
But last night, though advancing into the main draw (quarter-final round) of the Digicel Pro Bowl 2016 – the final competition on the Pro League calendar – the results were contrasting compared to the results on April 5.
Striker Anselm “Worm” Jackson scored twice before setting up a third, all in the first half, to help Rangers complete a comfortable 3-0 win over Sando before the break in the first game of the Digicel Pro Bowl qualifying double-header at the Ato Boldon Stadium.
And in the second qualifier Caledonia, this time, needed kicks from the spot to advance 5-3 after being held to a 1-1 draw with Civic.
The LSGS champions had taken the lead on 51 minutes through Guyana international forward Sheldon Holder, coming off his crucial double against Connection on Sunday, but former Trinidad and Tobago youth forward Juma Clarence equalised for Civic with 15 minutes, forcing the result from the penalty spot.
Caledonia, however, were clinical in the shootout with captain Kareem Joseph, Akim Armstrong, Holder, Robert Primus and Pernell Schultz all beating Civic goalie Miles Goodman.
While Civic, who were following suit up until the third kick when veteran Kelvin Modeste rattled the bar after Andrei Pacheco and Clarence had beaten former club mate and T&T international goalie Marvin Phillip. Ronell Paul slotted the fourth Civic kick but his side couldn’t avoid exit.
Like the just concluded Lucozade Sport Goal Shield, Civic, Sando, Caledonia and Rangers, due to their bottom-four positions on the Digicel Pro League standings, were paired into the qualifier round to trim the amount of teams for the quarter-final round.
And once again, Rangers and Caledonia are through to another quarter-final stage. The match ups for the Digicel Pro Bowl quarter-final round, which includes defending champions Central FC, San Juan Jabloteh, Defence Force, W Connection, North East Stars and Police FC, will be determined at the official launch of the 2016 edition on May 5.
Rangers meant business from early on against the Sando – who are coached by former Rangers coach Anthony Streete – with Jackson opening the scoring in the 6th minute and cushioning the Angus Eve side 2-0 by the 29th minute in a play started from a corner kick he had won out of goalkeeper Kelvin Henry.
Jackson, who joined Rangers in the January transfer window, gave Eve further delight in the 35th minute when he, unselfishly, squared a short pass for Sedale Mc Lean to hit past Henry for a 3-0 lead which the St. Ann’s club held all the way till the end. It was a brilliant performance from Jackson who was listed as a substitute but started instead of another mid-season forward signing, Johan Peltier.
Sando forward Devon Modeste had the best scoring chance for the southerners with 12 minutes left, but the ex-Rangers captain spilled at the post after Jesse Downing had lifted a Kevon Neaves’ free kick across the area.
Sando, this season's Pro League debutants have nothing beyond their already secured seventh-position finish in the league to play although having three games left. But lessons learnt could be fundamental for coach Streete and his players with next season to prepare for.
Civic, like Sando, made their entry into the Pro League from the Super League, but now near their third season, the Point Fortin club are already in their lowest ever finish – 4th (2013/14) & 5th (2014/15) – in 8th with 19 points, and could finish even lower with Caledonia on 18 points and Rangers, who are hoping to avoid a third consecutive rock-bottom finish, on 14 points with three league games left.
Digicel Pro Bowl 2016
Friday April 29
Qualifier Round results
Club Sando 0 vs St. Ann’s Rangers 3 (Anselm Jackson 6’, 29’, Sedale Mc Lean 35’), at the Ato Boldon Stadium;
Point Fortin Civic 1 (Juma Clarence 75’) vs Morvant Caledonia United 1 (Sheldon Holder 51’), at the Ato Boldon Stadium.
MCU won the game 5-3 on kicks from the spot
Morvant Caledonia United (5) Point Fortin Civic (3)
Kareem Joseph (scored) A.Pacheco (scored)
Akim Armstrong (scored) Juma Clarence (scored)
Sheldon Holder (scored) Kelvin Modeste (crossbar)
Robert Primus (scored) Ronell Paul (scored)
Pernell Schultz (scored)
Quarter Finals
Tuesday May 10
Semi Finals
Friday May 13
Final
Friday May 20
Teams at the Ato Boldon Stadium on Friday
Game 1
St. Ann’s Rangers: 1.Stefan Berkeley (GK), 2.Shakiyl Phillip, 7.Sedale Mc Lean (20.Shomarie Antoine 85th minute), 8.Kevon Piper (34.Jerrell Hibbert 90th minute), 9.Keron Cornwall, 13.Jeromie Williams (Yellow Card), 15.Anselm Jackson, 16.Richard Williams, 17.Kadeem Hutchinson, 18.Trevin Latapy (Capt.), 27.Kareem Baptiste (29.Jameel Antoine 40th minute)
Unused substitutes: 22.Christopher Biggette (GK), 10.Johan Peltier, 31.Dyllon Lara
Coach: Angus Eve
Club Sando: 34.Kelvin Henry (GK) (Capt.), 3.Shanon Phillip, 4.Moron Phillip, 6.Kemuel Rivers (Yellow Card), 7.Akeem Humphrey, 9.Jesse Downing, 10.Kevon Neaves, 17.Jared London, 22.Coneal Thomas (Yellow Card) (26.Shaquille Holder 69th minute), 24.Devon Modeste (Yellow Card), 38.Michael Basdeo (29.Junior Asson 90th minute)
Unused substitutes: 1.Jason Belfon (GK), 15.Amrit Gildharry, 14.Kevan Cumberbatch, 19.Ryan Frederick, 20.Rickson Phillip
Coach: Anthony Streete
Referee: Nicholas Gloudon
Assistant Referee 1: Annaz Mohammed
Assistant Referee 2: Larry Campbell
Fourth Official: Dennis Changiah
Game 2
Point Fortin Civic: 1.Miles Goodman (GK), 3.Kurfri Pierre, 8.Akeem Redhead, 9.Shackiel Henry (11.Tigana Sparks 34th minute), 16.Kelvin Modeste (Capt.), 19.Andrei Pacheco, 20.Jamille Boatswain, 21.Ronell Paul, 24.Juma Clarence, 27.Kern Peters, 32.Jamal John
Unused substitutes: 52.Akini Adams (GK), 4.Nicholas Thomas, 14.Kerron Gaskin, 33.Daniel Smith
Coach: Leroy De Leon
Morvant Caledonia United: 1.Marvin Phillip (GK), 3.Ranaldo Bailey (18.Leslie Russell 39th minute), 4.Ordell Flemming (Yellow Card ), 5.Maestro Mensah, 6.Marcus Ambrose (32.Taje Commissiong 57th minute), 10.Sheldon Holder, 12.Kareem Joseph, 17.Akim Armstrong, 19.Robert Primus, 24.Gregory President (16.Antonio Joseph 80th minute), 28.Pernell Schultz
Unused substitutes: 8.Anthony Charles, 13.Kyle Bartholomew, 15.Otev Lawrence, 34.Stephon Seepersad (GK)
Coach: Jerry Moe
Referee: Callum Marshall
Assistant Referee 1: Nicholas Augustus
Assistant Referee 2: Obadele Thomas
Fourth Official: Kevin Smart