Connection Under-20s hold off Jabloteh 3-2

W CONNECTION narrowed the gap with leaders CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh to two points on Thursday after a 3-2 victory in their T&T Pro League Under-20 clash at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva. Andrei Pacheco gave Connection the perfect start when he found the back of the net after only 10 minutes of play, with Brenton De Leon extending the lead in the 19th and Kennedy Hinkson getting Connection’s third in the 23rd. Defender Marcelle Francois trimmed the deficit to 3-1 when he scored in the 27th while striker Christopher Sam got a late consolation for Jabloteh when he netted in second half stoppage time.

Third-placed club North East Stars failed to make up ground on the top two when they were spanked 4-1 by Defence Force at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. The Army/Coast Guard combination held a comfortable 3-0 halftime advantage courtesy of a double by Kerry Joseph, in the 13th and 45th minutes, and one from Keston Williams in the 25th. Perry Ferreira pulled back one for the Sangre Grande-based team on the hour-mark before Kenjay Simmons killed all hopes of a comeback by North East with a 68th minute strike. Arima/Morvant Fire remain fourth on the eight-team standings after they got the better of Starworld Strikers 3-1 at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.

Kern Noel’s 41st minute opener for Fire was cancelled out by Darren Ali in the 60th before Cordell Samuel notched a double for the winners, in the 75th and 89th. And South West Drillers surged back from a 2-0 deficit after 85 minutes to hold Tobago United to a 2-2 draw at the Palo Seco Recreation Ground. Strikes from Noel Williams in the 33rd and Akiba Murphy in the 65th seemed to ensure full points for the lads from the sister isle, before ex-national youth team striker Nkosi Blackman pulled back one in the 86th and, in the 89th, Darren Alexis completed the comeback for the homesters.