Connection, Army in FCB Cup final

W CONNECTION will meet Defence Force in the final of the 2004 First Citizens Bank (FCB) Cup, at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella on Friday October 1. In the semi-finals last Friday, Connection held off fellow Southern-based team Starworld Strikers 2-1 while, in the earlier match at Marabella, the Army-Coast Guard combination eased past North East Stars 2-0. The double-header was punctuated with a 20-minute delay during the half-time interval of the Connection-Starworld clash, due to various flashes of lightning which triggered a power outage in the Marabella district. The estimated crowd of 5,000 saw a tense affair between the Teteron lads and North East Stars, the TT Pro League leaders. But, as the match progressed, Defence Force seized control of proceedings, with Devon Jorsling’s 22nd minute left-footer going through the grasp of goalkeeper Trevor Nottingham and crashing against the post. And in the 43rd, Jorsling’s lay-off to fellow striker Jerwyn Balthazar sailed high over the bar.

Jorsling met a right-side centre from Kwesi Smith in the 57th minute and sent his powerful header over Nottingham’s reach. But the pressure eventually paid off for the Army-Coast Guard unit, with Balthazar collecting a through ball from Odelle Armstrong (who replaced Jorsling in the 61st), evaded the challenge of defender Wilford Joseph and sent his low right-footer past the North East Stars’ goalie. North East looked a shadow of themselves on the evening, with their main chance for an equaliser muffed when ex-TT keeper Selwyn George produced a point-blank save from striker Jerren Nixon in the 80th. Armstrong ensured that his team advanced to the final stage (with the champs guaranteed $35,000 and $25,000 for the runners-up) in stoppage time when he sent his right-footed blast beyond Nottingham’s reach following a long run on the left by fellow reserve Claude Adams. Connection’s coach Reynold Carrington signalled his team’s intention before the start when he included four strikers —  Kendall Davis, Andre Toussaint, Jason Cudjoe and Titus Elva, in the starting line-up.

And the Savonetta lads did not take long to get on the scoresheet, as a left-side cross from captain Jose Luis Seabra in the 15th was muffed by Cudjoe but Toussaint was on hand to pounce the loose ball past Starworld’s goalie Marvin Phillip. Starworld almost replied in the 29th, with ex-TT striker Peter Prosper smashing his header, from a right-side centre from Kevin Hernandez, against the uprights. And they would later rue that miss, as Davis broke the off-side side trap in the 44th, rounded Phillip and stroked the ball into the open net. Toussaint saw his low right-footer hit the post in the 74th but Guyanese striker Randolph Jerome pulled back one for Starworld, from the penalty spot, in the 88th after Seabra was ruled to have handled a right-side cross from Hernandez. Meanwhile, two matches will be contested in the Pro League today, with North East hosting Connection at 4 pm while an hour later, Starworld will oppose South West Drillers at the Palo Seco Recreation Ground.