Club Sando force draw against Stars

Leaders North East Stars allowed full points to slip — possibly delaying the Pro League 2017 celebrations till the final match day next week — after being held to a 1-1 draw at the death by visiting Club Sando.

But a loss yesterday for challengers W Connection against Couva rivals Central at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva will crown the Derek King-coached Stars, with an unassailable 37 points, 2017 Pro League champions with two games to spare against Police FC and San Juan Jabloteh.

Akeem Garcia looked to have put the Stars on their way to a seventh consecutive league win with his fourth league goal this term early in the second half on a wet Tuesday afternoon at the Arima Velodrome.

But ex-Stars’ winger Tyrone Charles levelled the visiting Sando from a free kick – and he knows how to hit them – in virtually the final kick of the game to stun the Stars, though unable to snap the hosts’ undefeated record at the iconic Arima venue since calling it home at the start of the current season. The result, however, slowed the title favourites, North East Stars, with W Connection (30 points) seven points behind ahead of yesterday’s Couva Clásico. But not enough for Sando (26 points) who were hurdled for third position by Defence Force (27 points) who later whipped cellar-placed MIC-IT St Ann’s Rangers 4-0 to join the second-positioned Savonetta Boys in chase of a top-two finish which earns teams CONCACAF qualifying spots in the form of the Caribbean Club Championship.

Devorn Jorsling opened the scoring for the Army/Coast Guard combination early in the first half at the Ato Boldon Stadium before second half goals by Reon Moore, Christopher Durity and, from the penalty spot, Curtis Gonzales, saw the Marvin Gordon coached outfit rebound from their disappointing First Citizens Cup final loss to Connection last Friday.

Elsewhere yesterday, Point Fortin Civic came from behind to defeat visitors Morvant Caledonia United 3-1 at Mahaica Oval and suddenly the southerners are in the race for a top-half finish this season, moving four spots up to occupy fifth position.

Jabari Mitchell levelled Civic midway through the first half after Guyana international Sheldon Holder had fired Morvant Caledonia in front moments earlier. Then forwards Akinola Gregory and Shackeil Henry, scorers in a 2-1 win over Central last Sunday, found the back of Morvant Caledonia’s net within the first 15 minutes of the second half to complete a second league win on the trot for the hosts.

Coach Renold Carrington’s Civic (18 points), though, are only one point ahead of Police FC, Central and Jabloteh.

Earlier at the Arima Velodrome, Garcia broke the deadlock five minutes into the second half from close up, beating goalkeeper Kelvin Henry after a Jameel Neptune free kick crashed off Sando’s defensive wall.

But the Stars, who had a Rundell Winchester attempt cleared off the line by Sando defender Trevin Latapy on quarter of an hour and a wide header from the Tobagonian forward moments later, failed to find a cushion though enjoying the better share of the game, and were made to pay after giving away a free kick on top the box in the dying moments.

Charles then stepped up to beat the Stars wall and rookie goalie Darren Wilson – who had denied the Sando winger two minutes before the break – to level the game.

In related news, Neil Benjamin contributed with two assists off the bench to return W Connection – fresh from their record-extending eighth First Citizens Cup triumph – to winning ways with a decisive 3-0 result over hosts San Juan Jabloteh in a rescheduled fixture at Barataria Oval on Monday.

Benjamin, who entered play after the interval, set up Dimitri Apai to open the scoring in the 66th, then his shot later on (82nd minute) allowed Jameel Antoine to cushion the Savonetta Boys on the rebound before another substitute, Marcus Joseph, completed the comfortable victory with a superb free kick at the death.

(ttproleague.com)