Jabloteh widen gap atop Pro League

CL FINANCIAL San Juan Jabloteh widened their lead over W Connection, in the senior division of the T&T Pro League, to nine points after this weekend’s 23rd round of play. In Saturday’s lone fixture, Jabloteh crushed a hapless Joe Public outfit 4-0 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo while Connection were held to a 2-2 draw by third-placed North East Stars at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Balmain, Couva yesterday. Also at the Mucurapo venue yesterday, South Starworld Strikers trounced Defence Force 4-2, Caledonia AIA blanked South West Institute of Football (SWIF) 2-0 and Arima Fire turned back Tobago United 3-1 at the Roxborough Sporting Complex. In his second match since his transfer from the “Eastern Lions,” Nigel “Croc” Pierre scored against his former teammates in the 24th minute, with fellow striker Cornell Glen extending their advantage in the 66th. And substitute Devon Mitchell got a late pair —- a 78th minute right-footed blast from a Kerry Baptiste pass and in the 81st from a Josh Johnson centre, to give Jabloteh their 19th win of the season. Connection only had themselves to blame for not sustaining the pressure on Jabloteh on the 10-team standings as they surrendered a 2-0 halftime lead.

Midfielders Ronaldo Viana (5th) and Arnold Dwarika (23rd) gave the Savonetta lads the early initiative, but their Sangre Grande-based opponents stormed back, with goals from Kern Thomas in the 48th and Randolph Jerome in stoppage time, to earn a share of the points. The Army-Coast Guard combination went ahead through Vincent Garcia in the 16th minute who, despite the challenge from defender Dwayne Charles, headed home a Kwesi Smith left-side centre. But Starworld hit back in the 22nd, with striker Nicholas Addlery’s flick from a Rondon Bacchus throw tapped home by an unmarked Bevon Lewis. The Southerners, in particular national midfielder Dale Saunders, took command in the second half, scoring three goals in 12 minutes to seal their 10th win of the season. On the right flank in the 49th, Saunders got past national teammate Kurt Williams and, after a miskick from Lewis, Marc Borde was on hand to pounce home the loose ball. The Teteron lads were at sea to the constant raids from the Southerners, and conceded their third goal in the 58th. Saunders sent Borde clear on the right and, after blowing past Marlon Cayonne, saw his floated cross headed home by striker Nicholas Addlery.

And Lewis will get his second on the hour-mark, outsprinting Cayonne and Kelshall Alexander and slotting past the advancing D/Force goalkeeper Cleon John. The fixture was halted for 10 minutes due to fading light but, even when the floodlights were eventually turned on, the result was never in doubt, in spite of a late strike from Garcia in the 85th, heading past the crowded defence from an Alexander corner. Ryan Stewart scored a late double, in the 75th and 80th minutes, as “The Stallions” won at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Tunapuna. And the cellar-placed Tobago United could not hold on to a 1-0 lead courtesy Garth Woodley in the 22nd, as Brent Antoine got the equaliser for Fire in the 43rd, with additional strikes from Ramould Aguillera (48th) and Ashford Legerton (67th).

Under-20 Results: DEFENCE FORCE (2) - Akudu Goodridge, Michael Bennett vs STARWORLD STRIKERS (0); W CONNECTION (8) - Jason Marcano 2, Roderick Anthony 2, Keith Williams 2, Andre Pacheco, Toshua Benjamin vs NORTH EAST STARS (0); CALEDONIA AIA (2) vs SWIF (1).