Molino scores hat-trick as Army demolish AC PoS 6-3

REIGNING First Citizens Knockout Cup champions Defence Force (15 points) made another massive statement in the 2024/25 Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) season on January 3 when they got a thumping 6-3 victory against the league's defending champs AC Port of Spain at Phase 2 La Horquetta recreation ground.

It was the Army/Coast Guard combination's fifth win in as many games to kickstart the new campaign, and was also their third straight game scoring six goals.

The second game of a double-header, the Defence Force and AC PoS match was hyped as a titanic clash, and it didn't disappoint as six goals were scored in the opening half hour as the teams traded big blows to see the scores locked 3-3 at that time. Veteran playmaker Kevin Molino scored two of Defence Force's first three goals, with attacker Haile Beckles scoring twice for the "Capital Boys."

In first-half stoppage-time, the Densill Theobald-coached Defence Force team grabbed their second lead of the game when flanker Kaihim Thomas found the back of the net to give them a 4-3 halftime edge.

In the 78th minute, striker Isaiah Leacock continued his hot streak as he scored for a fifth successive game – opening up a 5-3 lead for the free-scoring Defence Force.

And after referee Timothy Derry awarded a penalty in the 86th minute, Molino beat former TT international keeper Marvin Phillip with a precise right-footed conversion to notch his hat-trick.

The hat-trick feat from the 34-year-old Molino was the second hat-trick on a wild night of football, as Central FC forward Kadeem Corbin also scored three times in his team's big 6-2 win over 1976 FC Phoenix.

Playing the first game of a double-header at the Arima Velodrome, the resurgent Central were relentless in their approach as they grabbed their fourth win of the season to consolidate second spot on the 12-team table with 12 points.

Corbin scored two of his three goals in the first half to take his season's tally to five goals, with midfielder John-Paul Rochford also chipping in with a brace.

Jariel Arthur scored his fourth goal of the season and got one of the consolation items for Phoenix, who dropped two spots to eighth.

In the second game at the velodrome, Club Sando (six points) moved up to sixth spot after battling back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw with Caledonia (ten points). Despite the draw, Caledonia jumped ahead AC PoS to occupy third spot.

Former TT standouts Daneil Cyrus and Marcus Joseph gave Caledonia a healthy first-half lead, but goals by Ezekiel Kesar and defender Jamal Jack saw Angus Eve's Sando team getting a share of the spoils.

Elsewhere, at the St James Police Barracks, Point Fortin Civic (six points) got their second win of the season when they whipped the cellar-placed Eagles FC by a 4-1 margin, with four different players getting on the scoresheet to hand the opposition a fifth straight loss.

In the second clash in St James, attacker Dwight Jordan scored in the 52nd minute to help San Juan Jabloteh secure a point against Prisons FC in a 2-2 draw. Both teams are currently on five points.

Meanwhile, Terminix La Horquetta Rangers got their first win of the campaign when they defeated last season's runners-up Miscellaneous Police FC by a 2-1 margin in La Horquetta. Shakir Jones and Ricardo Williams scored in the first half for Rangers, with the league's top scorer Kwesi Allen pulling a goal back for Police in the second half.

TTFPL tier one standings:

Team*GP*W*D*L*GF*GA*GD*Pts

Defence Force FC*5*5*0*0*22*7*15*15

Central FC*5*4*0*1*14*5*9*12

Caledonia*5*3*1*1*8*7*1*10

AC PoS*5*3*0*2*10*9*1*9

Police FC*5*2*1*2*14*10*4*7

Club Sando*5*1*3*1*11*6*5*6

Point Fortin Civic*5*2*0*3*7*8*-1*6

1976 FC Phoenix*5*2*0*3*9*14*-5*6

Jabloteh*5*1*2*2*10*11*-1*5

Prisons FC*5*1*2*2*7*10*-3*5

La Horquetta Rangers*5*1*1*3*7*12*-5*4

Eagles FC*5*0*0*5*3*23*-20*0