Ma Pau shock Army 3-0, W Connection earn draw

Initially, Defence Force controlled proceedings as captain Michael Edwards’ left-sided ball to Devon Jorsling was relayed to Kevon Carter who forced a save from Shane Mattis, while Jerwyn Balthazar hit the rebound overbar in the 15th minute.

Ten minutes later, on a counter-attack, Christopher Durity fed Devon Jorsling who got around Mattis but his left-footed effort was cleared by a retreating Dwane James.

Those errors proved costly, as Ma Pau, who fielded seven starters under the age of 20, scored twice within the space of six minutes.

In the 28th, muscular midfielder/striker Trevin Caesar was fed a long ball by his captain Lyndon Andrews and, after goalie Kevin Graham came out of his line and missed, Caesar tapped the ball into the open net.

Graham’s indecision was exposed again in the 34th, as Sherron Joseph collected a ball on the right from Trinidad and Tobago Under-20 defender Curtis Gonzales, squared past the flat-footed keeper to Anthony Guppy who tucked home, despite the challenge of David Alleyne.

Defence Force was unable to make any further impact on the game, and their defensive problems continued in the 72nd when Caesar netted his second, again from close range after Graham was slow to react to a left-sided centre from substitute Shandel Samuel.

Mattis was tested later on by Richard Roy (who turned and shot from 20 metres out) and fellow reserve Anton Joseph (a left-footed 30-metre drive) but there was no way back for the “Teteron Lads”.

Kerry Baptiste extended his goal-scoring tally to seven, as he notched a pair to guide Joe Public to a 2-2 draw against W Connection at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Tunapuna.

Baptiste found the back of the net in the 50th and 62nd minutes to give Joe Public a 2-1 lead, after the prolific Dominican Republic forward Jonathan Frias put Connection ahead in the 35th.

But Connection earned a share of the points courtesy new recruit Keryn Navarro in the 83rd.

Caledonia AIA registered the most lop-sided result of the season thus far, demolishing Police 6-2 at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella.

Kendall Velox, the 37-year-old St Vincent striker, notched the first hat-trick of the year, scoring in the 22nd, 40th and 62nd minutes.

Veteran Guyanese central defender, 36-year-old Charles Pollard (15th), Kerry Daniel (24th) and Kareem Joseph (79th) chipped in with one apiece for Caledonia, while Hayden Jones (43rd) and Dwight Elliott (47th) responded for the lawmen.