Central FC, Walsall play to 1-1 draw

Central, which finished fifth last season in the TT Pro League and is coached by Englishman Terry Fenwick, halted Walsall’s Trinidad and Tobago tour winning streak.

Walsall first defeated Stokely Vale 3-1 at the Plymouth Recreation Ground in Tobago last Friday, and on Sunday, with the help of Phoenix player Jem Gordon who scored a double and set up the winner, came from behind to defeat a Pro League XI 3-2.

On Tuesday, Central went ahead 1-0 in the 22nd minute through a neat finish by Jason Marcano from close range to beat Walsall goalie Richard O’Donnell after he was picked out by Darryl Trim on the right.

The finish was a lot better than Keon Trim’s clear cut opportunity in the second minute of play on a one-on-one situation with O’Donnell which he knocked directly at the Walsall goalie.

In the 43rd minute, Rundell Winchester executed a curling effort towards goal and O’Donnell was equal to the strike, fisting it out as far as Keon Trim whose rebound effort was also saved.

Two minutes earlier, Walsall’s Kieron Morris rocked the Central crossbar with an effort from just inside the area.

And it was in the 47th minute from a curling strike from above the area that substitute Danny Griffiths levelled the scores, beating Central’s defence and 19-year-old goalie Javon Sample.

Walsall substitutes Jake Heath and Ashley Hemmings teamed up well in the 56th minute with the latter missing the far upright by a foot. And, in injury time, Central needed a last ditch header by substitute Dean Faithful to clear Griffiths’ strike away from the goal mouth.

Central’s best opening of the second half was in the 78th minute when substitute Julio Noel dribbled free of three Walsall players before squaring a pass to Darren Mitchell, but the talented Tobagonian hammered his effort too high from above the area.

Walsall manager Dean Smith admitted that this country is a good pre-season destination for clubs such as “The Saddlers” which finished last season in England’s League One with just two defeats.

“For us it’s about fitness and getting ready for the start of our season,” he said about the Trinidad and Tobago tour. “We certainly made a lot of new friends and had a lot of tough challenges, so it has been really good for us.”

Smith also used the opportunity to have a look at some of the TT players on display and held coaching clinics in Tobago and central and north Trinidad.