Defence Force beat Central FC 2-1 to stay on top standings

POLICE FC and Terminix La Horquetta Rangers had whipping victories but Defence Force's narrow 2-1 win against Central FC kept them three points clear on top the TT Pro League standings after round one, match day ten, on Tuesday.

Central FC's Akim Armstrong gave his team the best possible start by opening the scoring in the second minute of play at the La Horquetta Recreation Grounds. The table toppers, Defence Force equalised through Reon More twenty minutes later when he met Brent Sam's header-pass with a classy finish. On the stroke of halftime, Armstrong's bicycle-kick should have been his second goal but returning army goalkeeper Sheldon Clarke made a perfect close-range save to keep the scores leveled at the interval.

The game seemed to be heading for a draw until Moore grabbed his second goal and the eventual winner. The tricky striker cut in from the right wing and neatly finished past the diving goalie Jadel Poon-Lewis.

The visiting Point Fortin Civic team failed to cope with the speedy strikers of La Horquetta Rangers as well as their smaller than usual ground that is perfectly suited to their style of play. Returning from his one game suspension, forward Isaiah Lee greeted an inch-perfect cross with an unstoppable header in the third minute. Four minutes later, Lee got his second with a calmly-finished shot to beat Point Fortin's keeper Stephon Seepersad for the two-nil lead. There was no letting up as in-form attacker Aikim Andrews scored a well-composed goal to further extend the lead to 3-0. Rangers ‘Junior Assoon riffled home his team's fourth goal after a series of attempts on goal in the six-yard box.

Point Fortin's skipper Justin Sadoo tried to rally his troops by giving them some momentum with slick passes but his team-mates weren’t finishing in the business end. To make matters worse, his opposing skipper Jamal Creighton received a one-time pass from Lee and slapped it home far-post beating a helpless Seepersad for a handful of goals within 42minutes.

Despite being five-nil down, the Southerners had a spirited performance creating several chances but couldn't capitalise until substitute Daniel Diaz scored a beautifully chipped goal in the 91st minute to end the game 5-1 in favour of Rangers.

Police FC hammered W Connection four-nil, at the Ato Boldon Stadium, to stay in second place on 17 points, three points behind Defence Force and one point ahead of both Rangers and Morvant/ Caledonia United. Utility player Christian Thomas scored a brace in the (10th,52nd) while Clevon McFee scored in the 65th and Jameel Perry (70th).

AC Port of Spain recorded a late one-nil victory against Tiger Tanks Club Sando, who themselves wish they could have gathered some needed points. Kordell Samuel scored the lone goal in the 84th minute at their home ground, Diego Martin Sporting Complex. In the other match, at same venue, San Juan Jabloteh and Cunupia FC played to a 1-1 draw. Kevon "Showtime" Woodley open the scoring in the 50th minute but Jabloteh tied the game in minute 78 through 15-year-old national youth player Jaheim Faustin.