North East reclaim top spot

NORTH EAST Stars reclaimed the top spot in the T&T Pro League on Wednesday when they defeated South West Drillers 2-0 at the Sangre Grande Recreation Ground. With the win, North East have a total of 20 points from ten matches, two more than previous leaders Starworld Strikers who were held to a 1-1 draw by Defence Force at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. The Guyanese duo of Kayode McKinnon and Carey Harris found the back of the net for North East Stars, in the 20th and 28th minutes respectively. Starworld’s slip-up also meant that CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh jumped to second in the eight-team standings after a 3-0 triumph over Arima/Morvant Fire at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima. Former national players Trent Noel, Ian Gray and Michael Celestine were on target for the back-to-back defending league kings.

W Connection remained in fourth place despite a comfortable 3-1 victory over Tobago United at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet. Jamaican Christopher Harvey opened the scoring for Connection after 14 minutes with national Under-23 forward Kendall Davis doubling their advantage in the 29th. Garth Woodley trimmed Connection’s lead when he scored on the hour-mark but Clyde Leon sealed the win for Connection with his 70th minute strike. A small crowd at Mucurapo saw a series of chances wasted by both the Army-Coast Guard combination and Starworld in the first half. Starworld’s goalkeeper Marvin Phillip was forced to deny a close-range effort from D/Force’s striker Kevon Carter in the 21st minute while midfielder Ronald St Louis skied the rebound overbar. Ex-national midfielder Lyndon “Chubby” Andrews saw his tame 26th minute penalty saved by Cleon John after he (Andrews) was brought down in the area by midfielder Kurt Williams.

Starworld’s striker Sean Julien connected on a Linsie Sherwood right-side cross four minutes later but his airborne header went wide while Carter, sent clear by Marvin Gordon in the 36th, had his shot blocked by an alert Phillip. Veteran striker Peter Prosper saw his 43rd minute freekick, from the edge of the penalty area, smash the uprights while, a minute later, Carter again an effort denied by Phillip. Devon Jorsling’s 47th minute blast cannoned off the bar but Starworld got the opener from substitute striker Randolph Jerome, in the 51st, capitalising off a quickly-taken freekick. Defence Force always seemed likely to get the equaliser, and they did courtesy Carter in the 80th. Phillip failed to hold an Odelle Armstrong freekick on the right flank and Carter was on hand to smash the rebound home.

STANDINGS
P W D L F A Pts
North East Stars 10 6 2 2 24 14 20
San Juan Jabloteh 9 6 2 1 21 3 20
Starworld Strikers 10 5 4 1 24 10 19
W Connection 10 6 1 3 20 11 19
Defence Force 10 4 3 3 15 11 15
Arima/Morvant Fire 10 3 3 4 9 14 12
South West Drillers 10 1 1 8 5 24 4
Tobago United 9 0 0 9 5 36 0