League leaders WASA were held to a 1-1 draw, thanks to a late goal scored by Marlon Laidlow of Defence Force in the blink/ bmobile National Super League at Wasa Ground, St Joseph, yesterday.
Michael Celestine opened the scoring for the “Water Boys” in the 32nd minute, to hold a lead until halftime. Down South, Lester Edwards scored a hat-trick for Club Sando which defeated Joe Public 4-1 at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.
The result ascended Club Sando into joint leadership, after leapfrogging Joe Public in the ten-team rankings.
The other goal-scorer for Club Sando was Mark Voisin. At the Woodford Lodge in Chaguanas, home team Eagles United walked away with a 2-0 victory, albeit against a similarly winless St Francois Nationals.
A goal in either half from Anton Gill and Glenwell John lifted Eagles off the bottom of the table with the three points.
Stokely Vale were also winners on the day, when they took on 1976 FC Phoenix. Keron Phillip scored within five minutes which was enough to see the club rise to ten points.
Up to late last night, travelling team West Side Super Starzs were leading 1-0 against Real Maracas at half time. Levi Serries netted in the 26th minute.
Results
Eagles United 2 (Anton Gill, Glenwell John) v St Francois Nationals 0
Club Sando 4 (Lester Edwards 3 goals, Mark Voisin) v bmobile Joe Public 1 (Robby Sookhai)
1976 Phoenix 0 v Stokely Vale FC 1 (Kerron Phillip)
Defence Force v WASA 1 (Michael Celestine)
Leaders WASA scrape draw.
By Ian Prescott (Express).
Leaders WASA FC held on for a point against Defence Force, while Joe Public, their nearest challengers before Wednesday's round of bmobile National Super League matches, lost to Club Sando Giants.
The results kept WASA atop the Super League, but they are now joined on ten points by Club Sando and Tobago's Stokely Vale, who got the better of 1976 FC Phoenix.
Playing at their St Joseph home ground, WASA led in the 32nd minute when left-footed midfielder Michael Celestine tucked a penalty kick to the right of goalie Sherlon Wheeler, after Darin Lewis was brought down in the penalty area.
But it was almost all Defence Force in the second half. Kevon Piper had a chance to pull the Army level ten minutes after the restart when a shot from Allister Ramlochan rebounded into his path, but WASA goalie Waldo Diaz blocked the low shot from the overlapping left back.
Soon after, striker Owen Mathews turned wide a free header at the WASA back post.
WASA were restricted to counterattacking and Celestine should have doubled their advantage in the 75th. Taking a Keston Thomas pass down the centre of the penalty area, Celestine had just goalie Wheeler to beat, but hit a low shot straight at him.
The Water Boys then paid a heavy price for the miss when lanky youth Marlon Laidlow got the equaliser five minutes from the end. Laidlow, who had come on as a substitute just ten minutes before, rolled in a low shot at the back post after the WASA keeper missed a corner-kick.
Defence Force have now drawn all five matches they have played this season.
Club Sando Giants moved second after handing Joe Public a first defeat. Playing at Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, the South team won 4-1.
Lester Edwards (8th, 35th & 58th) netted a hat-trick before Mark Voisin got their final goal in the 83rd as the Giants built a four-goal lead. Robby Sookhai got a consolation goal for Joe Public three minutes before the end of regulation.
And Stokely Vale are third after edging 1976 FC Phoenix 1-0 in the Tobago derby via an early Keron Phillips goal.
WEDNESDAY'S B MOBILE NATIONAL SUPER LEAGUE RESULTS:
WASA FC 1 (Michael-Lee Celestine - 32nd) Defence Force FC 1 (Marlon Laidlow - 85th)
Stokely Vale F.C. 1 (Keron Phillips - 4th) 1976 F.C. Phoenix 0
Eagles United 2 (Anton Gill - 30th, Glenwell John - 57th. St Francois Nationals 0
Real Maracas 0 Westside Super Starz F.C. 1 (Levi Serries - 26th)
Club Sando 4 (Lester Edwards - 8th, 35th & 58th, Mark Voisin - 83rd) Joe Public FC 1 (Robby Sookhai - 87th)
UPCOMING SUPER LEAGUE MATCHES:
Monday, July 18
St. Francois Nationals vs Defence Force, 4 p.m., HCS Training Field
Wednesday, July 20
Eagles United vs Real Maracas, 4 p.m., Woodford Lodge, Chaguanas
Super Starzs FC vs 1976 FC Phoenix, 4 p.m., HCS Training Field
WASA FC vs Joe Public FC, 5 p.m., WASA, St. Joseph
Stokely Vale FC vs Club Sando, 4 p.m., Plymouth Recreation Ground.
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