Connection retain Digicel Shield

Silvio Spann, the stand-in captain for the rested Joevin Jones, and Stefano Rjissel were the other goal-getters for Connection, while Richard Roy and Adrian Welch responded for Defence Force.

The game featured the winners of the Pro League (Defence Force) and Pro Bowl (Connection), with Connection claiming the $10,000 jackpot, which will go towards a charitable cause of their choice.

But Connection, who have played twice already in the 2013/2014 CONCACAF Champions League, were clearly sharper than Defence Force, in a match which featured as much as six substitutions for either team.

Roy could have opened his team’s account in the 36th minute, as he met a pin-point cross from right-winger Kerry Joseph, but his header crashed off the crossbar and went out of play.

Arcia broke the deadlock in the 46th, as he evaded a defender and sent a low shot beyond the reach of goalkeeper Sheldon Clarke.

Spann extended the lead eight minutes later, with a freekick which flew past the outstretched right hand of Clarke, after referee Neal Brizan belatedly blew for a foul on Gerrard Williams by Sean Narcis. Roy atoned for his earlier miss with a goal in the 59th, getting between centre-backs Daneil Cyrus and Joel Russell to head home a ball from the right flank.

However Connection restored their two-goal lead in the 71st, with a penalty from Arcia, after he was earlier taken down by central defender Rodell Elcock.

And, in the 75th, Rjissel put the game beyond the reach of Defence Force, as he collected a through ball, went past Samuel Delice and Devin Jordan, and angled his left-footer to the left of Clarke.

Welch pulled one back in the 87th, placing his left-footer to the right of a flat-footed Alejandro Figueroa in the Connection goal, following a lovely right-sided ball from Joseph.