North East Stars jump to top spot

Akeem Garcia, an Arima resident and former Trinidad and Tobago youth winger, ended with an assist and his first goal for his new club after Police — a side desperately trying to steady a rollercoaster ride this season — had twice equalised in the first half through Elijah Belgrave and Jameel Perry following the hosts’ opening item from Rundell Winchester then an Elton John converted penalty.

The win saw Derek King’s side on 16 points, and with a game in hand against three-time defending champions Central FC, hurdle previous leaders W Connection (13 points) at the summit after stretching their unbeaten record this term to six in as many matches, five of them ending in wins.

Connection, though, were looking to restore the lead yesterday with a meeting against Defence Force at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.

North East Stars were brilliant, and after just nine minutes, took the lead through the lightening- paced Tobago-born winger Winchester, who fired past a hapless Police custodian Adrian Foncette from the right for his third goal this season after neat pass from Garcia on a counterattack had left the Lawmen backline beaten.

Utility player Belgrave levelled the scores when he beat goalkeeper Akel Clarke off a Kadeem Boyce corner from the right 10 minutes later. That see-saw effect would continue till the break.

Elton John, wearing the North East Stars armband, wrong-sided Foncette on 38 minutes from the penalty spot to restore his side’s advantage after Police defender Jibri Mc David was adjudged to have brought down winger Kishun Seecharan in the box.

Then Police, who earlier had a goal ruled out for an infringement, levelled again, putting the score at 2-2 on the stroke of halftime when Jameel Perry pounced on a rebound to fire into an open net after Clarke had initially gotten glove to chipped attempt from Kareem Freitas.

But North East Stars were in front after taking the lead a third time three minutes into the second half.

Garcia, a former San Juan Jabloteh and W Connection attacker who was side-lined through injury for the past two years, completed another counterattack by the Stars with a cool finish beyond Foncette, who was hung out to dry again. Winchester had led the attack before finding Kyle Bartholomew on the left, and the former Morvant Caledonia and Rangers winger whipped in a low cross towards Garcia, who capitalised.

Foncette denied Garcia twice late while substitute Adrian Noel wasted overbar after replacing midfielder Duane Muckette, who returned for the first time this season and in time as a replacement for Trinidad and Tobago international Leston Paul, who is expected to move to El Salvador.

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