North East Stars shine brightest

NORTH EAST Stars erased any doubts about their capture of the T&T Pro League title with a high-scoring 4-3 victory over Starworld Strikers at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella on Sunday. As a result, the Sangre Grande-based squad ended the league with 57 points, six ahead of nearest challengers W Connection and dethroned champions CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh. Midfielder Anthony Wolfe put North East ahead after seven minutes while captain and national striker Jerren Nixon widened the advantage in the 25th. But Starworld went on the offensive, and got their first strike from Kester Cornwall in the 43rd before dreadlocked forward Andre Charles got the equaliser in the 54th. More drama was to come when Kevin Hernandez scored what Starworld thought was the winner in the 63rd before North East went for broke.

And their persistence paid off in the end, as Kayode McKinnon tied the scores at 3-3 in the 85th before Nixon gave North East a dramatic win in the 89th. Connection needed a victory on Sunday against Jabloteh at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo to have any realistic chance of copping the title, and they got a perfect start courtesy a strike from forward Kendall Davis after eight minutes. Stand-in captain Trent Noel levelled the scores three minutes into the second half before Davis’ national Under-23 team-mate, midfielder Michael Celestine, gave Jabloteh full points when he scored six minutes later. Like Jabloteh, Defence Force also rebounded from a goal disadvantage to win 2-1 against Arima/Morvant Fire at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima, with Kurt Williams notching the winner via the penalty spot in the 85th. Devon Modeste put Fire in front after 39 minutes before Army/Coast Guard striker Balondemu Julius equalised in the 52nd.

STANDINGS
TEAM P W D L F A Pts
North East Stars 26 17 6 3 80 33 57
W Connection 26 15 6 5 67 27 51
San Juan Jabloteh 26 15 6 5 65 23 51
Starworld Strikers 26 10 9 7 64 41 39
Defence Force 25 10 6 9 39 39 36
Arima/Morvant Fire 26 8 5 13 42 42 29
SWt Drillers 21 3 2 16 17 61 11
Tobago United 20 0 0 20 11 120 0