Jabloteh in Pro League KO ‘semi’

CL FINANCIAL San Juan Jabloteh booked a semifinal spot in the T&T Pro League Under-20 knockout competition following a 5-1 rout of South West Drillers at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on Thursday. Jabloteh joined defending champions W Connection, North East Stars and Tobago United in the semifinals, which will be played on June 17. Former national youth team striker Jerol Forbes gave Jabloteh an early two-goal lead, with items in the second and 26th minutes; midfielder Rennie Britto got Jabloteh’s third in the 27th and captain Ricardo Bennett scored the fourth in the 34th. While Andre Logan pulled back one for Drillers in the 55th, the result was a foregone conclusion, with Andre Alexis completing the victory with a strike 10 minutes from time.

Connection needed kicks from the penalty spot to defeat Starworld Strikers 4-2 after both teams battled to a 1-1 draw at the end of full time and sudden-death extra time. Starworld went ahead through Marlon Henry in the 20th but Aaron Downing equalised for Connection in the 53rd. During the penalty shootout, Gorean Highley, Kevin Modeste, Jerron Johnson and Arnold Ferguson converted for Connection while Rene Morris and Jamal Ayres scored for Starworld.

While Kendall Jagdeosingh (30th) and Seon Reyes (43rd) gave North East a 2-0 halftime advantage against Defence Force at the Sangre Grande Recreation Grounds, the hosts were given a late scare when Kerry Joseph reduced the deficit for the Army/Coast Guard combination in the 81st. But the Teteron lads could not get the crucial equaliser, as North East held out for the win. In one match played on Saturday, Tobago United humbled Arima/Morvant Fire 4-1 at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima.