Former Vietnam-based Soca Warriors midfielder Hughtun Hector delivered an 89th-minute rocket to snatch a 1-0 win for W Connection over rivals and defending champions Central FC in the “Couva Derby” when the Digicel T&T Pro League resumed on Tuesday.
Going into the match, Central FC led the ten-team table with 46 points from 21 matches, four ahead of Defence Force which was beaten 3-1 by Club Sando in an earlier match at the same Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva venue while W Connection and Play Whe San Juan Jabloteh followed on 40 and 39 points respectively.
This meant a victory for the Dale Saunders-coached Central FC would have put some breathing space between it and the chasing pack with less than seven matches left for each club,
As expected with both Central FC and W Connection, beaten in their last league outings a week ago, and set to meet again on Friday in the second Lucozade Sport Goal Shield semifnal at the same venue, the contest was tight with end to end action with a few chances that were not taken.
W Connection was first to threaten through midfielder Andre Toussaint who fired just overbar in the second minute of play, while at the other end of the field former US-based forward Rundell Winchester drilled an attempt inches wide of goalkeeper Julani Archibald’s far bottom corner after a giveaway in the middle by W Connection.
The “Savonetta Boys” left-back Jelani Peters then saw an attempt rattled the upright in the 22nd minute as both teams went into the break at 0-0.
Two minutes after the restart, Archibald made a reflex save to keep out a header from Rundell Winchester, but the W Connection’s custodian night would come to an early end in the 70th minute as he was stretchered off and taken to hospital after he suffered a suspected concussion when his head struck the ground in contest for a ball.
There was little work though for Archibald’s replacement Terrence Lewis to do, although Central FC threw everything forward, with a 22-yard strike from forward Jason Marcano going inches wide of the top corner.
Then just when it seemed the match would end in a 0-0 deadlock Hector, who returned to the club in the January/February transfer window following a five-year stint in the Vietnam V-League, unleashed a right-footed blast from 25-yards out which left Central FC goalkeeper Akel Clarke with no chance after the “Couva Sharks” failed to clear a corner.
The win lifted W Connection to 43 points and into second spot, three adrift of Central FC which has a match in hand while Defence Force slipped to third with 42 points, the same as Jabloteh which battled past Police FC 3-2 in the second match of a double-header at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo with four regular season games left.
Earlier on at Couva, Defence was unable to rebound from Saturday’s 5-1 loss to Morvant Caledonia United in the quarter-final round of the Goal Shield despite taking the lead against Club Sando.
Forward Kellon Serrette, one of only four unchanged players from Saturday’s starting line-up for coach Marvin Gordon, fired Defence Force into a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute.
But Club Sando responded with a goal each from Devon Modeste (30th), Jesse Downing (47th) and Akeem Humphrey, in the 72nd to secure a 3-1 comeback win.
Down at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, Police FC and Morvant Caledonia United, who will meet in Friday’s first Goal Shield semi-final at Couva from 6pm, both suffered league defeats.
Morvant Caledonia came crashing back down to earth after its big win over the “Teteron Men” in a 1-0 loss to cellar-placed St Ann's Rangers through a second minute penalty strike from Trevin Latapy, and in the second encounter, Jabloteh overcame Police 3-2.
Jabloteh held the lead after just six minutes thanks to an Akeem Benjamin strike but Police struck twice in the first half with this season’s leading scorer Makesi Lewis notching his 18th league goal in the 19th minute and Dylon King netting in the 33rd minute to give the “Lawmen” a 2-1 lead at the break.
However, national youth team striker Brent Sam found the back of the net in the 85th minute to level for Jabloteh before inform Nathan Lewis grabbed the game-winner with seconds left in the match, his 12th league goal for the “San Juan Kings” this season.
And in the day’s other match at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, North East Stars rebounded from their 4-1 loss to W Connection in the Goal Shield quarter-finals last Friday by whipping Pt Fortin Civic 3-0.
Forward Kerry Baptiste scored a first half brace, netting in the sixth and 25th minutes, to take his tally to nine goals from six games in all competitions since returning to the Stars in the transfer window while midfielder Jean-Luc Rochford added a third in the 85th minute to seal a fifth straight league win.
Digicel Pro League Results
North East Stars 3 (Kerry Baptiste 6th, 25th, Jean-Luc Rochford 85th) vs Pt Fortin Civic 0
Club Sando 3 (Devon Modeste 30th, Jesse Downing 47th, Akeem Humphrey 72nd) vs Defence Force 1 (Kellon Serrette 24th)
W Connection 1 (Hughtun Hector 89th) vs Central FC 0
St Ann's Rangers 1 (Trevin Latapy 2nd penalty) vs Morvant Caledonia United 0
Jabloteh 3 (Akeem Benjamin 6th, Brent Sam 85th, Nathan Lewis 90th) vs Police FC 2 (Makesi Lewis 19th, Dylon King 33rd)
Current Pro League standings:
Teams*P*W*D*L*F*A*Pts
Central FC*22*14*4*4*48*16*46
W Connection*23*12*7*4*46*21*43
Defence Force*23*12*6*5*49*19*42
Jabloteh*23*13*3*7*42*33*42
N/East Stars*23*11*5*7*38*43*38
Police FC*23*10*4*9*49*45*34
Club Sando*22*8*3*11*27*39*27
Morvant/Caledonia*23*5*3*15*23*50*18
Pt Fortin Civic*23*4*4*15*19*49*16
St Ann’s Rangers*23*3*5*15*24*50*14
Upcoming Pro League matches:
Round Three Match Day Six
Tuesday April 19, 2016:
Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva:
Club Sando vs Police FC, 6pm
W Connection vs San Juan Jabloteh, 8pm
Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo:
Morvant Caledonia United vs Central FC, 7pm
Defence Force vs North East Stars, 9pm
Wednesday April 20, 2016:
Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar:
St. Ann’s Rangers vs Pt Fortin Civic, 4pm