Jabloteh inch closer to Lucozade crown

In front of a sparse crowd in their Round Four Match Day Three encounter, Joe Public missed two early chances— Gregory Richardson was sent clear by Kerry Baptiste but shot wide in the seventh minute while, three minutes later, Richardson returned the favour as Baptiste rounded goalkeeper Cleon John but, from the by-line, his cross went across the face of goal and out of danger.

Marvin Oliver headed Elton John’s cross inches wide of Joe Public’s goal in the 52nd but the veteran dreadlocked midfielder atoned for that miss five minutes later.

After substitute striker Cornell Glen (who replaced his brother Cyrano at the half) was fouled by Haitian defender Elsuma Pierre, Trent Noel’s freekick was headed home by Oliver as Pierre (on the near post) and goalie Alejandro Figueroa were rooted to the spot.

Glen also had a hand in Jabloteh’s second item in the 65th, heading Cleon John’s clear-out to Jerol Forbes, who drilled home his left-footer from the edge of the penalty box.

Glen’s thunderous shot forced a fine save from Figueroa moments later while both teams missed a few chances, even though Kerry Baptiste pulled one back in the 86th with a deflected shot following a goal-mouth scramble.

W Connection stayed two points adrift of Jabloteh, in both the league and Big Six contests, after their second straight come-from-behind victory, this time by a 2-1 margin over United Petrotrin at the Palo Seco Recreation Ground.

Defender Lyndon Diaz gave Petrotrin the upper hand in the 39th minute before national midfielder Clyde Leon equalised in the 55th, while striker Andre Toussaint netted the winner in the 78th.

And North East Stars leapfrogged Joe Public for third spot, in both the league and Big Six, after rallying from an early setback to beat Caledonia AIA 3-2 at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Tunapuna.

STANDINGS Pl W D L F A Pts
San Juan Jabloteh 30 22 4 4 60 24 70
W Connection 30 21 5 4 58 21 68
North East Stars 30 13 5 12 41 39 44
Joe Public 30 12 6 12 49 39 42
Caledonia AIA 30 12 6 12 44 42 42
United Petrotrin 30 10 8 12 36 47 38
St Ann’s Rangers 27 9 7 11 50 52 34
Defence Force 27 8 6 13 41 47 30
Ma Pau SC 27 7 4 16 33 63 25
Tobago United 27 3 3 21 25 63 12

Big Six - Jabloteh 9; W Connection 7; North East 4; Joe Public 2; Caledonia AIA 1; Petrotrin 1.