Army must beat J/Public to move on

DEFENCE FORCE can jump to third spot in the senior division of the T&T Pro League if they can defeat the “Eastern Lions” Joe Public at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, today. Due to the absence of a number of players on national senior and Under-23 duties, only two matches are scheduled today, with cellar-placed Tobago United hosting the consistent North East Stars at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet. Defence Force will field their regular starting lineup with the exception of hard-working defender Anton Pierre, on senior team duty in Morocco while Joe Public will miss five starters — goalkeeper Michael McComie in Morocco and, with the Under-23 team in the Bahamas, striker Andre Toussaint, midfielders Densil Theobald and Devon Caseman as well as defender Hollis Brown.

The Army-Coast Guard are currently fifth on the 10-team standings on 22 points, with South Starworld Strikers and N/E Stars joint third on 23, while Joe Public is seventh on 14 points. In their second season at the Pro League level, North East Stars have improved with every match and, with veteran striker Jerren Nixon joining their squad, will prove too much for the Tobagonians who are yet to win a match thus far. Under-20 matches will precede the senior encounters two hours earlier.