AC Port of Spain look to veteran Leston Paul to aid in TTPFL revival

LAST season’s TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) tier one table-toppers AC Port of Spain and Miscellaneous Police FC are intent on doing their part to reel in the runaway 2024/25 table leaders Defence Force when the season resumes after a month-long Carnival break.

In the first round of the ongoing campaign, the Army/Coast Guard combination lit up the competition as they won all 11 games to rack up 33 points. Defence Force have a nine-point lead on the standings as Central FC are second on 24 points.

From 8 pm at the Phase 2 La Horqueeta recreation grounds on March 14, the third-placed Police (22 points) will have the chance to make good on their promise of stopping Defence Force’s run when they meet their rivals in the second game of a double-header.

“We’re hoping we could be that team that goes ahead and break the streak of Defence Force. A lot of people are actually looking for Police to be the team to break Defence Force’s stride,” Police’s assistant coach Devon Bristol told Newsday on March 13.

While many of their competitors have bolstered their roster during the league’s transfer window, Bristol said there are currently no new additions to the Police team, although they’re looking to strengthen up on the defensive front.

Bristol said the team’s preparations were hindered somewhat as players had to take up duty during the Carnival period. However, he said the lawmen are ready to attack with full force for the TTPFL’s second round.

“Apart from the fact that Army are a few points ahead of the lot, the second, third, fourth and fifth-placed teams are very close and only separated by a point or two.

“We’re using that whole underdog thing as going into the game with a bit of motivation. It’s a way to inspire the team. We’re not under a lot of pressure to get a result. I think it’s more on the Army (to get a result).”

Currently fifth on the 12-team table with 21 points, reigning champions AC PoS have made their intentions clear for the remainder of the season with as many as six signings. These signings include attackers Ezekiel Kesar and Jean-Heim McFee, playmakers Nathaniel Garcia and Gabriel Nanton, and former Memphis 901 captain Leston Paul.

AC PoS coach Walt Noriega spoke of the value of the signing of the 35-year-old Paul, who has over 30 caps for TT.

“We lost the attacking midfield part of the engine room of the AC PoS team so we needed to rebuild now,” said Noriega, alluding to the in-season departures of players such as Che Benny, Duane Muckette and Michel Poon-Angeron.

“Leston’s demeanor, his attitude and the way he carries about himself is something we missed when Muckette left. We’re looking at Leston to take that mantle as a leader. He has already got the respect of the boys…he understands the way we want to play so it adds value to the team.”

AC PoS will resume their season when they face the bottom-placed Eagles FC from 7 pm at the St James Police Barracks on March 16. In the first game of a St James double-header on March 16, 1976 FC Phoenix will play Point Fortin Civic.

In other matches this weekend, Caledonia will play Terminix La Horquetta Rangers from 6 pm on March 14, with Club Sando playing Prisons FC at the Arima Velodrome from 5 pm on March 15 and Central playing San Juan Jabloteh in the second game of the Arima double-header in a top-five clash.