Connection humiliate Civic; Central edge Caledonia

The result lifted Connection - now tied on seven points with St Ann’s Rangers - four spots up the Digicel Pro League (DPL) standings into third, that’s two spots down from leaders Central FC (12 points), who edged Morvant Caledonia United 2-1 in the second game of Tuesday’s double-header at the Couva venue to maintain their 100 percent record after four league games.

Winger Neil Benjamin Jr. grabbed an uninterrupted hat-trick while Dimitrie Apai, Andre Toussaint, Gerard Williams and Daniel Diaz each had a goal for Connection as cellar-placed Civic conceded the heaviest DPL defeat of the season to date.

Civic’s defence were caught flat twice by former player Andre Toussaint who provided the telling passes for Suriname forward Dimitrie Apai and Benjamin to score past goalkeeper Miles Goodman in the 23rd and 37th minutes, respectively.

Connection were 2-0 up while Civic’s best chance of a possible comeback, striker Jamile Boatswain (hamstring), was replaced injured just beyond the half hour mark.

The problems of Civic coach and Point Fortin legend Dick Furlonge quickly raged on after his side were reduced to 10 men two minutes after Connection’s second goal.

Defender Ancil Wells saw a straight red out of referee Kevin Smart’s pocket after appearing to elbow opposing defender Ronell Paul, who joined Connection from Civic this season.

Two minutes from the break, Benjamin got to his second after beating a hapless Goodman to send Connection 3-0 at the half.

Toussaint, involved again, squared a pass to the right to find 20-year-old Diaz, one of a handful of new signings by Connection this season, in the middle of the Civic half, and the diminutive attacker instinctively fed Benjamin through towards the box.

Picking up where he left off, Benjamin completed his hattrick -- surpassing his league tally of last season -- for a 4-0 Connection cushion with a cool finish into a vacant net nine minutes into the second period after rounding Goodman following a measured pass behind the Civic defence by St. Lucia international Kurt Frederick.

Toussaint, who was denied by the frame in the first half, fittingly added his name to the scoresheet to put Connection 5-0 on 64 minutes, hitting into the back of the net from close up on a second bite after his initial attempt rebounded off the crossbar.

Gerard Williams sent Goodman the wrong way in the 82nd minute to convert Connection’s sixth goal (6-0) from the penalty spot, before Diaz completed the romp.

First half goals by Jason Marcano and Marcus Joseph, kept Central perfect at the summit despite Morvant Caledonia trimming the deficit in stoppage-time of the first period through World Cup 2006 midfielder Densill Theobald.

OTHER SCORES Sunday San Juan Jabloteh 1 (Jamal Gay 76’) vs Ma Pau Stars 0 Friday Club Sando 3 (Keithy Simpson 53’, Akeem Roach 78’, Akeem Humphrey 85’) vs Defence Force 2 (Hashim Arcia 25’, Sean Narcis 45’+) St. Ann’s Rangers 2 (Dylon King 32’, Marvin Lee 90’+) vs Police FC 0