Morvant Caledonia make winning start

Guyana forward Sheldon Holder scored a brilliant, though slightly deflected, goal to lift Morvant Caledonia to a 2-1 win over Club Sando before San Juan Jabloteh held Central to a goalless draw to complete a double- header at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.

Keron Cornwall had given Sando the lead on 13 minutes, pouncing on a spill by Morvant Caledonia’s Ghanaian defender Maestro Mensah at the goalmouth to beat goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel.

But Kerry Daniel, who like Samuel has made a return to Morvant this season, levelled the Stallions with a fine strike after latching onto a short Kareem Joseph free-kick to find the far top corner of Stefan Berkeley’s net.

Berkeley was beaten again from outside the box on the hour mark. Holder, slipped through by a quickly taken Joseph freekick, sent a shot sailing beyond the Sando custodian and into the back of the net with a slight deflection.

Stephon Seepersad, Morvant Caledonia’s substitute goalie of last season, later kept a clean sheet for his new employers, Central FC, on debut.

Central also handed Pro League debuts to former Trinidad and Tobago Under-17 attacker Jesse Joseph, Haitian defender Fresnel Simil, and 30-year-old former TT youth defender Sean Bateau, who had stints in the United States, Thailand, Maldives and Philippines.

But it was seasoned Pro League campaigner Jason Marcano that had the best chances for the Couva Sharks. However goalkeeper Javon Sample, who made the switch to Jabloteh last season, stood in the way of his former employers with brilliant stops on either side of the half.

Central, attempting a fourth straight Pro League crown, were lucky not to concede a late defeat thanks to the heroics of Seepersad.

Seepersad’s outstretched leg in stoppage time denied Jabloteh substitute Aaquil Campbell’s close range effort, adding to his brilliant stop just over the hour mark to blank Jamaican attacker Keithy Simpson, who had earlier drilled an excellent scoring chance inches wide before the break.

Today, the Arima Velodrome will welcome Pro League football for the first time in the current era when North East Stars, headed by coach Derek King, host point Fortin Civic from 7pm.

And on Monday, action returns to the Ato Boldon Stadium with a double-header when Defence Force tackle Police FC from 6pm and W Connection take on MIC-IT St. Ann’s Rangers from 8pm.