Jabloteh cruise past Tobago Utd

After the 14th round of matches in the T&T Pro League, Connection have 33 points from 12 matches, with Jabloteh next on 23.

It was one-way traffic for Jabloteh from the start, who rested national players Aurtis Whitley and Cyd Gray (back from Wednesday’s CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers against the United States) and prolific striker Kerry Noray and fielded their new signee Jason Marcano (from Couva Players United) and little used reserves — defender Ian Gray and Jamaican striker Nicholas Addlery.

After seven minutes, forward Devon Mitchell got a through pass from Trent Noel but shot wide off the mark while, in the 25th, Nigel Daniel saw his 20-metre freekick hit the crossbar and sail out of play.

In the 31st, Addlery outmuscled Tobago’s captain Dwayne Jack on the right and, his cross was tapped by Guyanese Nigel Codrington to the path of veteran TT midfielder Angus Eve whose shot rebounded against the uprights. Later, Daniel found Addlery in the penalty box in the 37th but the forward placed his header wide.

But a goal was inevitable, and it came in fortuitous circumstances as a deep ball on the right by Josh Johnson was chested by Darryl James and, with goalkeeper Shean Walker in no-man’s land, the ball trickled into the back of the net.

Codrington doubled Jabloteh’s lead in the 54th, as he collected a long ball on the left, shrugged off James and powered his right-footer home while, in the 62nd, Eve converted a penalty after Daniel was brought down by Jack. And Johnson completed the scoring for Jabloteh, blasting a right-footer following a quick counter-attack. Defence Force overtook Caledonia AIA/Fire for third spot after a 2-0 win at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima. The AIA/Fire outfit went behind in the 21st minute courtesy Kevon Carter, and the burly striker netted again for the Army-Coast Guard combination in the 38th.

In the day’s other contest, defending champs North East Stars, who have had an inconsistent season thus far, were held to a goalless draw by the struggling United Petrotrin at the Sangre Grande Recreation Ground.