Central slam six past St Ann’s Rangers

Central lead the standings with 38 points, five points clear of reigning champions and Couva-rivals DIRECTV W Connection, who they must face tomorrow from 8 pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.

Also on Tuesday night, North East Stars, Point Fortin Civic and Police FC each moved up a spot into third, fourth and seventh positions respectively, after posting Round Three Match Day One wins.

North East defeated 10-man Defence Force 3-2 following Central’s win over Rangers at the Marvin Lee Stadium, while at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Police FC and Point Fortin were comfortable 3-1 winners over Play Whe San Juan Jabloteh and Caledonia AIA respectively.

Makesi Lewis (15th minute), Clevon Mc Fee (37th) and Kareem Freitas (57th) each scored for Police while Jabloteh’s lone item came from a penalty by Shaquille Bertrand 10 minutes from time.

In the second contest at the Couva venue, Guyanese forward Purnell Schultz (20th) gave Caledonia the lead with his ninth league goal this season, but an equaliser by Jamille Boatswain (23rd), for his sixth league goal of the season, and a double by Marcus Joseph (30th and 65th) - the latter from the penalty spot, earned Civic a come-from-behind victory.

Joseph, last season’s Golden Boot winner, and Defence Force’s Devorn Jorsling, the 2010-2011 winner, are now tied at the top of the season’s goalscorers list with 11, one more than W Connection’s Jerrel Britto.

Second placed Connection were on the bye on Tuesday and Central, winners of this season's First Citizens Cup and Rawle Fletcher (Round One) and Akeem Adams (Round Two) Trophies, took the opportunity to boost their points advantage over the "Savonetta Boys".

Leston Paul gave the Zoran Vranes-coached Central a 1-0 lead in the second minute. Forward Willis Plaza knocked down a left side cross into the path of Paul inside the box and the midfielder let off an early half volley which took a deflection on its way to beat goalkeeper Christopher Biggette.

Biggette conceded again in the 14th minute with defender Jamal Jack putting over the line a rebound after the Rangers goalie made an initial save to deny Marvin Oliver.

Things got worse for Rangers when Ataullah Guerra scored from the penalty spot in the 25th minute, hitting to the left of Biggette for his ninth league goal this season, after referee Crystal Sobers awarded the kick for a handball in the box by defender Ryan O'Neil.

Four minutes before the break, Darren Mitchell made it 4-0 when he drove the ball past Biggette from the centre of the box. Guerra had made a couple twists and turns inside the right of the area to unsettle the Rangers defence before slipping a pass to Mitchell, who made no mistake.

Rangers resumed with a change in goal, replacing Biggette with Junior Granger, after the interval but that didn't put a cork on Central's scoring.

Central scored their fifth and sixth goals courtesy Kaydion Gabriel (78th) and Oliver (84th) respectively. However, a bit of miscommunication between Oliver and former Rangers goalie Akel Clarke, in the final minute of stoppage time, resulted in the latter providing a pass that Rangers midfielder Kennedy Isles took full advantage of by blasting into the net.