Gay scores as Jabloteh dim Ma Pau Stars

The result saw Jabloteh leapfrog St Ann’s Rangers for second spot and level on nine points with Digicel Pro League leaders and two-time defending champions Central FC, who have a better goal-difference and a game in hand against Morvant Caledonia United today from 8 pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.

Gay towered the Ma Pau defence on 76 minutes to head past Stars goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel off a left side Elijah Manners’ corner - his first goal of the season - giving the home supporters something more to cheer about other than the free giveaways and bouncy castle that offered kids a true Sun- Fun-Day.

Samuel, whose crossbar was rattled by a rocket from Tyrone Charles just over the hour mark, denied the hosts a second item 10 minutes from time with a reflex save from a deflected Brent Sam free-kick.

Ma Pau Stars coach, Ross Russell, said the contest was evenly matched, but conceded that “not much goalmouth action was produced by both sides to offer enough excitement for the good turnout of supporters” at the Barataria venue.

Russell, a two-time former league champion winning coach with Defence Force, added, “we were pushing to be second after this game, now the result is a setback for us.

We did a lot of what we had set out to do but one mistake cost us.” The Stars (six points) maintain fourth position, one point behind Rangers, while W Connection (four points), who face Point Fortin Civic today from 6 pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium, and/or Morvant Caledonia United could hurdle both sides to occupy third at the end of Round One Match Day Four play.

Jabloteh coach Keith Jeffrey reiterated that the ambition is to return the “San Juan Kings” as one of the dominant forces in Trinidad and Tobago football.

Jeffrey, who led Jabloteh to a runners-up finish last season behind Central to qualify for next season’s CONCACAF Champions League qualifiers, felt his side should have put away the win early against Ma Pau despite being without six regular players.

Winger Sean Bonval, goalkeeper Shemel Louison, defender Aquil Selby, and winger Nathan Lewis, the TT international who was shot in the shoulder during a drive-by shooting in his native Maloney last September, are all sidelined through injury, while regular captain Damian Williams completed his two-match suspension on Sunday and left full-back Keston Julien is with the TT Under-20 team for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup Caribbean Zone qualifiers.

Meanwhile Ma Pau had to do without former Britain-based forward Jason Scotland due to illness.

Other veteran strikers Kerry Baptiste and Collin Samuel were used off the bench, with Russell starting Anthony Wolfe upfront.

Jeffrey, though, was happy to give his team’s supporters - who he hopes to foster as Jabloteh’s 12th-man - a victory.

Willis Plaza had three early misses for the San Juan Kings while winger Noel Williams struck wide with the goal at his mercy – all within the first 15 minutes.