Front runners, bmobile Joe Public was held to only its third draw in 19 matches in the bmobile National Super League, 1-1 by visiting 1976 Angostura Phoenix at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya, yesterday.
The “Eastern Lions” looked set to be on their way for win number 15 when Donovan Derrick netted a tenth-minute opener.
However, one minute before the interval, Dave Grimshaw replied for the Tobagonians to go in 1-1 at the interval. On the resumption, both teams pressed for a winner, but at the end of the 90 minutes the score remained the same.
With the point earned, Joe Public improved to 45 points from 19 matches, six ahead of debutants T&TEC, which failed to close the gap after a surprise 3-2 defeat to M&M Harvard at the Dibe Recreation Ground, Long Circular, St James.
Yesterday’s Results
Joe Public 1 (Donovan Derrick 10th) vs Phoenix 1 (Dave Grimshaw 44th).
Harvard 3 (Christon Freitas 34th pen, 74th, Jabari Samuel 84th) vs T&TEC 2 (Tigana Sparks 59th, Brenton De Leon 90th).
St Francois 5 (Marlon Bowen 9th, 53rd, 70th, Marc Borde 2nd, Wendell Douglas 24th) vs Club Sando 3 (Kareem Gibson 19th, 42nd, Andy London 85th).
WASA 4 (Mervyn Brooks 37th, Michael-Lee Celestine 41st, Jesse Reyes 65th, Keston Thomas 76th) vs H/Strikers 2 (Michael Haynes 12th, 19th).
T&TEC falter against Harvard.
T&T Express Reports.
EVEN though leaders Joe Public dropped points when held 1-1 by Phoenix SC of Tobago, chasers T&TEC failed to make up ground after they were surprisingly beaten 3-2 by M&M Harvard in a bmobile National Super League second round match on Wednesday.
Christon Freitas had Harvard ahead at the half through a 34th minute penalty, but T&TEC levelled through Tigana Sparks in the 59th.
However, Harvard got further goals from Freitas (74th) and Jabari Samuel (84th) to build a 3-1 lead, before Brenton De Leon (89th) pulled T&TEC closer with a late goal. The defeat left T&TEC second on 39 points from 18 matches and chasing Joe Public by six points. Harvard moved to third on 31 points.
BMOBILE NATIONAL SUPER LEAGUE RESULTS:
bmobile Joe Public FC 1 (Donavon Derrick - 10th) 1976 FC Phoenix SC 1 (Dave Grimshaw - 44th minute)
M&M Harvard 3 (Christon Freitas (2) - penalty 34th minute, 74th; Jabari Samuel - 84th) T&TEC 2 (Tigana Sparks - 59th; Brenton De Leon - 89th)
St Francois Nationals 5 (Marc Borde - 2nd; Marlon Bowen (3) - 9th, 53rd & 70th; Wendell Douglas - 24th) Club Sando 3
(Karim Gibson (2) - 19th & 42nd; Andy London - 85th)
Harlem Strikers 2 (Michael Haynes (2) - 12th & 19th) WASA FC 4 ( Mervyn Brooks - 37th; Michael-Lee Celestine - 41st; Jesse Reyes - 65th, Keston Thomas - 76th)
UPCOMING NATIONAL SUPER LEAGUE FIXTURES:
Sunday
3.30 p.m.--bmobile Joe Public FC vs M&M Harvard, Marvin Lee Stadium
3.30 p.m.--Club Sando vs T&TEC, Manny Ramjohn Stadium
3.30 p.m.--1976 FC Phoenix SC vs QPCC, Caanan, Bon Accord
3.30 p.m.--WASA FC vs Defence Force FC, WASA, St. Joseph
3.30 p.m.--Carenage United vs Economy Strikers, Youth Camp, Chaguaramas
3.30 p.m.--St Francois Nationals vs Harlem Strikers, Frederick Settlement
Joe Public stay top despite 1-1 draw with FC Phoenix.
By Joel Bailey (Newsday).
Joe Public stayed atop the Bmobile National Super League points standings despite a 1-1 draw against 1976 FC Phoenix, in the first of back-to-back matches at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya, Tunapuna on Wednesday evening.
Donovan Derrick put the league leaders ahead, in their Match Day 20 encounter, after 10 minutes, but Dave Grimshaw ensured a share of the points as he evened up the scores for the visitors in the 44th. Joe Public’s mood would have lifted moments later when they found out that their nearest rivals TTEC were beaten 3-2 by Harvard at the Dibe Recreation Ground, St James.
Christon Freitas broke the deadlock with a 34th minute penalty but Tigana Sparks equalised for TTEC in the 59th. Freitas restored Harvard’s lead in the 74th while Jabari Samuel widened the margin 10 minutes later, and that lead will remain until the end, despite an 89th minute strike from TTEC’s Brenton De Leon.
Harvard swapped places with Phoenix on the points standings, and Queen’s Park failed in their effort to jump to third place as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Economy Strikers, in the second match at the Marvin Lee Stadium.
Brendon Barry opened the scoring for the Parkites after 11 minutes, latching on to a rebound after Economy goalkeeper Akel Clarke blocked an effort from Simba Aberdeen.
But Economy levelled the scores in the 57th minute – following a counter-attack started by Shervin Charles, who sent a pass down the right to Carlon Hughes and Hughes, who was in prolific form in the recent Mayaro League, squared the ball to an unmarked Kevin Jagdeosingh to tap home from close range.
Queen’s Park seemed to have ensured a win in the 80th courtesy of Lorne Joseph, who drilled his right-footer past Clarke after striker Jason Charles made a mess of his effort to shoot past two Economy defenders, in the penalty box. But Charles’ lack of concentration proved costly five minutes later, as he lost possession near the centre field and Jagdeosingh released Shervin Charles down the right who, in turn hit his right-footer, on the second attempt, into the vacant net after his initial lob was blocked by his namesake, goalie Tristan Charles.
At St Joseph, WASA recovered from a two-goal deficit to whip last- placed Harlem Strikers 4-2.
Michael Haynes gave the visitors a quick pair of goals, in the 12th and 19th minutes, but WASA responded, before the half-time whistle, with goals from Mervyn Brooks in the 37th and Michael-Lee Celestine four minutes later. Jesse Reyes put the hosts ahead in the 65th minute while Keston Thomas sealed the come-from-behind triumph in the 76th.
The day’s most high-scoring affair saw St Francois Nationals whip Club Sando 5-3 at the Youth Camp in Chaguaramas.
Veteran midfielder Marc Borde (second) and Marlon Bowen (ninth) gave St Francois an early 2-0 lead before Kareem Gibson reduced the deficit for Club Sando in the 19th. Wendell Douglas got St Francois’ third in the 24th but Gibson pulled one back in the 42nd.
Borde made the scores 4-2 in the 53rd and Renford Charles guaranteed full points for the hosts in the 70th, even though Andy London netted Sando’s third five minutes from full time.
Due to a waterlogged outfield at the Army Base in Chaguaramas, the encounter between Defence Force and neighbours Carenage United was cancelled. This Sunday, the fixtures on Match Day 21 will be contested.
STANDINGS
P W D L F A Pts
Joe Public 19 14 3 2 54 17 45
TTEC 18 13 0 5 40 21 39
Harvard 18 9 4 5 35 26 31
Phoenix 18 9 3 6 31 20 30
Queen’s Park 19 8 5 6 37 32 29
Defence Force 17 7 5 5 35 27 26
Club Sando 19 8 2 9 39 38 26
WASA 19 7 4 8 38 34 25
St Francois 18 7 3 8 28 34 24
Economy Strikers 18 6 3 9 27 31 21
Carenage 18 4 3 11 19 36 15
Harlem 19 3 3 13 16 54 12
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