Hawks sink Defence Force in Men’s U-20 football

TRENDSETTER Hawks handed league leaders Defence Force their second defeat of the season as the east-based outfit charged to a 1-0 victory in the Tiger Tanks Men’s Under-20 Invitational Tournament at the Larry Gomes Stadium on June 4.

The game was a tightly contested fixture, with the teams cancelling each other out for most of the 90 minutes. Jeremiah Williams netted the game-winner in the 17th minute as Hawks held on to claim all three points, but not before Defence Force were correctly denied an equaliser from Jerry Morris in second-half stoppage time as assistant referee Jomo Johnson ruled out the “goal” as offside.

After the decision, tempers flared among the spectators, coaches and Defence Force players. Morris was sent off for abusive language towards Johnson as referee Noel Moore firmly dissolved the commotion. Shortly after, the final whistle was blown as Hawks (16 points) moved within two points of Defence Force (18 points).

Club Sando capitalised on the Force’s slip-up, maintaining their second-place spot (16 points) with a dominant 4-1 win against AC Port of Spain at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium on Sunday. Nathaniel O’Garro (39 and 83 minutes), Omari Asher (41) and Jabari Forbes (49) got the goals for Cornell Glen’s side while Jaheim Williams (56) scored the lone consolation goal for the Port of Spain team.

In other results, Central FC (Rasean Britto, seventh minute) and Caledonia AIA (Jardel Mitchell, 26) played to a 1-1 draw at the Marvin Lee Stadium on Saturday.

Petit Valley/Diego Martin United comfortably defeated W Connection 3-0 at the Police Barracks. Their goals were scored by Kiron Manswell (21), Zion Williams (46) and Elijah Seechan (57). Police FC needed a late winner against San Juan Jabloteh at the same venue as Jardel John netted in the 77th minute to earn his team a hard-fought triumph. Phillip Tinto put Police in front in the second minute via a penalty and Dwight Jordan equalised for Jabloteh in the 28th minute before Jardel’s winning goal.

In Tobago, Youth Stars United continued their chase of St Clair’s Coaching School at the top of the Tobago group with a 2-1 win over Stokely Vale FC on Saturday. Deleon Beckles (15) and Enil O’Brien (72) scored for the hosts as Jalen Quashie’s 78th-minute goal was not enough to push Stokely Vale towards gaining a point.

Subsequent to that fixture, St. Clair’s all but confirmed their place as winners of the Tobago group, recovering from a 1-0 deficit to beat Bethel United 3-1. Goals from Jabarie McMillan (56 and 67) and Shakeal Alexander (75) completed the comeback for the leaders after Shawn Baker’s 19th-minute opener for Bethel.

Going into the final match day with 17 points and a goal difference of +13, it is highly unlikely that St. Clair’s will be caught by Youth Stars United. who stand on 14 points with a goal-difference of +4 – but still mathematically possible. A draw in their closing fixture will confirm their status as Tobago champions. On the league table, both teams are followed by FC Tobago Phoenix (11 points) in third, Bethel United (five points) in fourth and Stokely Vale loom at the bottom of the table with two points. The final weekend of the group stage will have the teams with an impact on the top places in both the Trinidad and Tobago groups playing at the same time, on the same day. This arrangement was made to “preserve the integrity of the competition,” according to Richard Piper of the competition’s organising committee. Fixture times and venues are yet to be determined.

After match day 8, the standings are:

1. Defence Force (18 points)

2. Club Sando (16 points, +6 GD)

3. Trendsetter Hawks (16 points, +3 GD)

4. Police FC (14 points)

5. Petit Valley/Diego Martin United (12 points, +1 GD)

6. San Juan Jabloteh (12 points, -2 GD)

7. Central FC (ten points)

8. Caledonia AIA (nine points)

9. W Connection (five points)

10. AC Port of Spain (two points).