Caledonia whip Civic in Pro League opener

Jameel “Shooter” Neptune and new signing Jair Edwards - both from assists by returning attacker Kordell Samuel __ and veteran Kareem Joseph each had a goal for the visitors at the Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin, which, due to floodlights operation failure, forced match officials to abandon the first game of the double- header between Club Sando and last season’s runners-up San Juan Jabloteh four minutes into the second half.

However the lights - thanks to the arrival of a technician __ were operational in time for the second game and it took Neptune just five minutes to give Caledonia a deserving 1-0 lead after meeting Samuel’s hard-worked right side cross to hit past a hapless goalkeeper Miles Goodman.

But Sylvester Teesdale pulled Civic level, on the half hour mark when he converted from the penalty spot, beating his former Civic teammate, goalkeeper Marvin Phillip, after Akeem Redhead was sliced down in the box by Caledonia’s St Lucian defender Otev Lawrence.

It was not until 10 minutes inside the second half that Caledonia were back in front. Edwards timed his jump perfectly to meet a cross from the left by Samuel to head past Goodman.

Joseph extended Caledonia’s lead in the 66th minute with a superb free kick when he guided the ball over the wall and into Goodman’s top corner from 22 yards out.

Earlier, Jabloteh led Club Sando 1-0 after teenaged left-back signing Keston Julien smashed a half volley into the back of goalkeeper Stefan Berkeley’s net in the 14th minute. Jamaican defender Adrian Reid preserved Jabloteh’s lead before the break with a clearance off the line after goalkeeper Shemel Louison was beaten by an improvised lifted attempt by Jared London. Jabloteh were back at it three minutes inside the second half when Keyon Edwards was denied by the upright.

But soon afterwards the floodlights failed to operate and later plunged players and fans into darkness.

(ttproleague.com)