Harlem Strikers captured the Central Football Association Ramsingh’s Sportworld FA Trophy and Sanitank League Cup with contrasting victories at Woodfoord Lodge Ground, Chaguanas. On Saturday night, Strikers recorded a 3–0 shut-out of KC Perseverance United on penalty-kicks following a 1–1 draw in the FA Trophy decider.
Strikers had taken a 1–0 lead in the 62nd minute due to an own-goal, however Perseverance hit back in the 78th minute thanks to Malcolm Nedd to set up the penalty-kicks shoot-out.
In the shoot-out, Strikers scored their first three attempts while Perseverance United failed to hit the target. For its win, Strikers walked away with the FA trophy and $5,000 while Perseverance got $3,000.
Strikers returned to the same venue on Monday night and mounted a late revival to eke out a 2-1 triumph over Caroni Samba in the League Cup decider to pick up $3,000 more while $2,000 went to the runner-up.
Caroni led 1-0 at the half-time through a 41st minute item from former national midfielder, Kwame Wiltshire and looked set to be closing in on the title with ten minutes left in the match.
However, Strikers then mounted a late turn around and drew level in the 85th thanks to Phillip Wickham before Michael Renaud broke the hearts of Caroni with a 90th minute winner.
Meanwhile the outcome of the Central Football Association Premier Division “Big-Six” crown will be decided in January at a date to be fixed after Monday’s Disciplinary Committee (DC) meeting was adjourned.
Strikers protested against Caroni Samba for the use of three players (Kwame Wiltshire, Nigel Daniel and Kemo Narcis) whom they claim, were not rightfully transfered from their previous clubs before playing in the competition. Should Strikers win the protest on Monday, it would be crowned champions.
However, checks with the T&T Pro League Office stated both former national players were free to play for the CFA club having been granted a transfer on December 2.
Quoting FIFA Article 3 on the regulation and transfer of players, the T&T Pro League’s Secretary, Julia Baptiste said: Article 3 Reacquisition of Amateur Status states: 1. A player registered as a Professional may not re-register as an Amateur until at least 30 days after his last match as a Professional.
Wiltshire began the season with St Ann’s Rangers then moved to Jabloteh Adams Construction San Juan Jabloteh for whom he had not played since October before joining Caroni Samba on December 2, 2011, while Daniel moved from the now defunct Ma Pau to Jabloteh, playing his last month on November 4, 2011 then joining Caroni, on December 2, 2011.
Meanwhile, Narcis was not officially registered to any other club in any zone and was free to sign with Caroni, which will mean, yet another CFA title in the bag. However, Bartholomew was quick to point out he was not in a position to divulge any information with regards to the players signatures as it was now a matter for the Disciplinary Committee to determine.
The league champion will walk away with $10,000; second gets $5,000; third $3,000 and fourth, $2,000. This will be the second time in three years the outcome of the CFA title will be determine by the Discipline Committee after the 2009 campaign ended with Strugglers and Leeds United before the courts and that matter was only recently dismissed.