Baptiste hits five past Rangers

The match featured two historic moments, as 27-year-old captain Kerry Baptiste became the first player to score five goals in a Pro League match while his team-mate, 31-year-old midfielder Yu Hoshide, became the first Japanese to play in the League, when he came on as a 76th minute substitute.

Baptiste, who has been converted from a right-winger to a striker by coach Derek King, stretched his league-leading goal-scoring tally to 19 as the “Eastern Lions” took advantage of San Juan Jabloteh’s inactivity (they were on a bye) to take the top spot for the first time this season.

The slimly-built Baptiste opened the scoring in the 13th minute, racing on to a through-ball from defensive midfielder Devon Leacock and angling his right-footed shot to the left of the advancing Rangers’ goalkeeper Fortunato Valcourt of Haiti.

Defender Seon Power muffed a close-range chance, as he headed overbar after Valcourt made a hash of Gorean Highley’s left-sided freekick, but the goalie redeemed himself moments later with a point- blank save to deny Baptiste’s left-footed volley, after Highley ran at the Rangers defence.

Rangers, out of the blue, evened up the scores in the 40th as left-back Husani Thomas, one of two recent recruits to the squad, sent a deep spot-kick and forward Josimar Belgrave guided his header, under the diving Colombian-born goalie Alejandro Figueroa, into the back of the net.

The Rangers’ joy was short-lived as, a minute later, Joe Public’s right- back Marvin Manswell, who had a hand in the opening goal, sent a diagonal ball to winger Hayden Tinto who relayed the ball to an unmarked Baptiste, who finished with a wonderful left-footed strike.

Baptiste completed his hat-trick on the stroke of half-time, sending Valcourt the wrong way with his right-footed penalty (Valcourt went right) after the goalie brought down winger Micah Lewis.

Three minutes into the second half, Belgrave reduced the deficit to 3-2 when he calmly stroked his right-footer to the right of Figueroa after a neat give-and-go, on the right flank,