Jabloteh, Joe Public in crucial contest

The game will take place at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.

Jabloteh have a two-point lead over second-placed Caledonia AIA, with Joe Public third on 29.

But the game will have additional interest, and perhaps intensity, following Fenwick’s public condemnation of Joe Public’s interim coach McComie — who is also the Trinidad and Tobago Under-23 acting tactician — for his refusal to support the application of Jabloteh’s Lester Peltier for an English work permit on Thursday.

North East have lost Marvin Phillip this week, as the national goalie decided to end his stay with the Sangre Grande-based squad. And the inconsistent outfit will have to pin their hopes on veterans Randolph Jerome and Kendall Velox if they are to get the better of the resurgent Defence Force, who will seriously miss striker Devon Jorsling, who is serving a one-game suspension.

Caledonia will have to miss influential captain Sheldon Emmanuel and fellow defender Howard Lowe, who are both suspended, for today’s contest against Police at the Palo Seco Recreation Ground, the first match of a doubleheader.

So the onus will be on Marvin Oliver, Walter Moore, Radanfah Abu Bakr and veteran defender Charles Pollard to guide Caledonia this afternoon. Police have been combative, and will have to keep their focus to upset the second-placed AIA outfit.

Petrotrin’s coach Brian Williams lambasted the officiating of Tuesday’s game against North East, with both teams sharing the points with a 1-1 scoreline. But the Petrotrin outfit will rue the loss of striker Andre Alexis when they oppose Superstar Rangers in the second match at Palo Seco.

Rangers, who have been unable to keep their intensity, will need a win, especially since captain and striker Errol McFarlane will be going to Iran next week on a trial stint.

W Connection have not had the easiest of seasons, as they have struggled to keep pace with the leading quartet, due to the loss of a number of players through injuries and overseas trials.

But the youthful squad will not have things their own way when they host the slowly-improving Tobago United at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva. Normally, any team will be assured an easy victory over Tobago, but the lads from the sister-isle have amassed 10 points, including three wins, this season and will surely pose a threat to the “Savonetta lads”.

Both double-headers will kick off at 4 pm, while the Connection-Tobago fixture will also begin at four o’clock.