Former Guyanese international Carey Harris scored a pair of goals as Harlem Strikers outclassed Perseverance Ball Runners 4-1 to take the early lead in the Central Football Association Premier Division “Big-Six” competition on Wednesday.
Harris got his double in the 32nd and 39th minute for a 3-1 half-time lead after team-mate Lynton Jones had opened the scoring at Woodford Lodge Ground, Chaguanas. Jared James added the fourth item for Strikers in the 57th minute while Kareem Beckles netted for Ball Runners in the 35th.
Also off to winning starts were Caroni Samba and Couva Sports, the last team to qualify. One-time T&T international, Teba Mc Knight banged in a double as Caroni Samba held off St Mary’s United 4-3 on Thursday while Couva Sports edged KC Perseverance United 2-1.
On Monday, Couva Sports booked the last Big-Six spot available with a 2-0 win over T&T Highlanders at Woodford Lodge Ground, Chaguanas. Damon Lewis opened the scoring for Couva in the 69th minute and one minute before the final whistle,Greene added, the second item.
With the win, Couva Sports ended its 12-match scheduled with 21 points in fifth spot while Highlanders, which also needed a win to have a chance of qualification stayed eighth with 16 points.
Couva Sports now joins table topper Harlem Strikers (28 points), KC Perseverance United (26), Caroni Samba (26), St Mary’s United (22) and Perseverance Ball Runners (20) as qualifiers for the “Big-Six” competition which kicked off last night (Wednesday) with a double-header at Woodford Lodge.
Meanwhile, Caroni Samba earned the CFA’s third spot in the T&T Football Federation FA trophy competition with a 4-1 whipping of Edinburgh 500 in their third place playoff on Sunday.
Caroni also picked up $2,000 for the third place finish while Harlem Strikers and KC Perseverance will meet in the FA final on a date to be determined. Strikers will also contest the Sanitank League Cup final against Caroni Samba after contrasting semifinal wins on Friday.
Caroni crushed Cap Off Youths 9-1 while Strikers got the better of Strugglers 4-2 on penalty-kicks after a 1-1 draw. The winner will get $5,000 while the runner-gets $2,000 and third $1,000.
Central Football Association Results
FA Third place
Sunday
Caroni Samba 4 (Devon Drayton 6th, Curin Bannister 34th, Quami Knights 67th, Teba Mc Knight 88th) vs Edinburgh 500 1 (Atiba Alves 57th)
Premier Division
Monday
Couva Sports 2 (Damon Lewis 69th, Karel Greene 89th) vs T&T Highlanders 0
Big-Six
Wednesday
Harlem Strikers 4 (Carey Harris 32nd. 39th, Lynton Jones 28th, Jared James 57th) vs Cap Off Youths 1 (Kareem Beckles 35th)
Couva Sports 2 (Karel Greene 2nd, Lyndon Bruno 21st) vs KC Perseverance Utd 1 (own goal 51st)
Thursday
Caroni Samba 4 (Teba Mc Knight 24th, 58th, Devon Drayton 20th, Marlon Stoute 86th) vs St Mary’s Utd 3 (Carlon Lewis 29th, Ryan Frederick 42nd, Andre Nicholas 88th)
CFA Big-Six fixtures
Today
KC Perseverance Utd vs St Mary’s Utd, Woodford Lodge, Chaguanas. 5pm.
Tomorrow
Caroni Samba vs Perseverance Ball Runners, Woodford Lodge, Chaguanas, 4.30pm.
Harlem Strikers vs Couva Sports, Woodford Lodge, Chaguanas, 6.30pm.