Jabloteh hammer D/Force 9-1

DEFENCE FORCE, one of the most feared teams in local football, continued their miserable form in the TT Pro League, crashing to their third successive defeat — 9-1 against defending champs CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh on Wednesday night. The 200 supporters at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, including national players Stern John, Brent Sancho and ex-Defence Force striker Jason Scotland were in awe at the aggressive display by Jabloteh against a clearly unfit and ragged Army-Coast Guard combination. But W Connection registered their third straight win with a 4-0 whipping of Arima Fire at the Ato Boldon Stadium, with goals from Silvio Spann, Gefferson Goulart, Earl Jean and George Isaac.

Guyanese midfielder Randolph Jerome got the lone item for North East Stars, who edged Tobago United 1-0 at the Larry Gomes Stadium while Bevon Lewis netted a double as South West Institute of Football (SWIF) pipped “the Stallions” Caledonia AIA 2-1 at Palo Seco. And Joe Public needed a late equaliser from national defender Keyeno Thomas to draw 2-2 against Starworld Strikers at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium. Andre Charles and Sean Julien were on target for the Southerners while Nigel “Croc” Pierre scored the first goal for the “Eastern Lions.” The evergreen Angus Eve opened the scoring for Jabloteh, with a deflected eight-minute freekick, while Cornell Glen doubled the lead in the 31st, collecting a Josh Johnson centre and slamming home from close range.

Glen netted his second goal after 40 minutes, with acres of space in the middle, the diminutive striker blasted his right-footer past the hapless D/Force goalkeeper, Marlon Sylvester. The floodgates opened in the second half, with ex-TT captain Travis Mulraine sent clear by Eve and chipping the flat-footed Sylvester in the 48th. D/Force midfielder Kurt Williams netted an own-goal in the 56th, following a long run on the left flank by Kerry Noray, Williams tamely rolled the ball back into his net, while substitute Kerry Baptiste netted the team’s sixth four minutes later, tapping home from a Kerry Noray centre.

Eve notched his second in the 69th, Baptiste completed his hat-trick with goals in the 86th and 88th, while Sherman “Ants” Phillip scored Defence Force’s consolation in stoppage time. Defence Force’s U-20 squad, under the tutelage of former national assistant coach Anthony “Gaffa” Barrington, fared no better in the first match of the doubleheader, falling to a 4-0 defeat against the Jabloteh lads (coached by Eve) with goals from Rennie Britto, Wendell Joseph, Ijana Mark and Lee Haynes.

Other Results: Under-20 Division - NORTH EAST STARS (2) Matthew Durham, John Stewart vs TOBAGO UNITED (0); SWIF (2) Sylvester Teasdale, Kezi Lara vs CALEDONIA AIA (2) Hyron Browne-Baptiste, Keyon Edwards; W CONNECTION (2) Jason Marcano, Christopher Durity vs ARIMA FIRE (2) Dwayne Ellis, Kyle Gueverra; STARWORLD STRIKERS 0 vs JOE PUBLIC 0.