Joseph hat-trick trumps Guerra double as Civic and Central enjoy goal feast

Joseph’s feat topped that of a double scored by Central FC midfielder Ataulla Guerra in the opening match of the night when the DPL leaders whipped cellar-positioned St. Ann’s Rangers 4-1.

But Guerra, scoring on either side of the half, took his league scoring tally to 6 goals this season and leads the list ahead of previous leader and teammate Marvin Oliver and Civic’s Joseph, both with 5 goals.

Guerra netted his first on Friday night when he slipped the ball past goalkeeper Junior Granger in the 19th minute for a 1-0 lead following a head on by Willis Plaza.

Plaza then made it 2-0 by the 37th minute, with his second goal in two matches for the “Couva Sharks” since returning to competitive action this month.

Plaza executed a well taken left footed strike to beat Granger after latching onto a ball played over the top by Oliver, who made a solid starting return in midfield as central defender Jamal Jack returns to the side following a stint in Guyana with Alpha United.

Plaza had the ball in the back of the net again in the 41st minute with a left footed half volley from just inside the area but that was ruled offside to the disbelief of many.

Then less than a minute inside the second period, Guerra completed his double for a 3-0 score-line on a second bite at goal from close up to beat Granger who made the initial stop, in a play started from a quickly taken free kick in the middle.

Guerra, who was denied by the post in the 39th minute from a diving header, had a couple second half tries but it was his feed in the 52nd minute that created Central’s fourth and final goal, for a 4-0 lead, which was blasted in by Jason Marcano from inside the area.

The Zoran Vranes-coached Central, fresh from being crowned the Round One winners for the Rawle Fletcher Trophy, pushed to further improve the score line with later attempts by Plaza, Oliver and even a diving Jack header that rebounded off the upright, but just couldn’t replicate a 7-0 result achieved against Rangers in Round One, last September.

Instead it was Rangers that celebrated somewhat of an improvement, not only reducing the score line, but also pulling a goal back in the 77th minute when Keron Cornwall sent a rebound whistling into the back of the net after Josh Toussaint’s initial effort was cleared off the line by defender Elton John.

Rangers had one more try two minutes from time but Jelani Peters’ powerfully stuck free kick from distance was tamed by Central and Trinidad and Tobago goalie Jan-Michael Williams.

The result improved Central FC’s hold on the top spot with 20 points from 9 matches, keeping ahead of defending champions DIRECTV W Connection (17 points from 8 matches) who they must face next Friday from 8 pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Round Two Match Day Two.

As for Civic, now with 11 points from 9 matches, the Reynold Carrington-coached Point Fortin club climbed three spots up the ladder to knock the defeated Caledonia (11 points) off the fifth position by goal difference.

It was only Civic’s third league win of the season but it came against a side that defeated them 2-1 at the Mahaica Oval last September.

Midfielder Akeem Redhead gave Civic a 1-0 lead just 10 minutes into the match when he blasted in Joseph’s hard-worked pass which slipped across the area.

Civic threw a few more efforts at Caledonia and finally got to a 2-0 cushion on the 33rd minute when Joseph grabbed his first with a left footed strike into the far corner as goalkeeper Zane Coker stood beaten a second time.

Two minutes later Caledonia pulled a goal back when Guyana international Trayon Bobb took over the line Keon Russell’s attempt which had initially beaten goalkeeper Marvin Phillip and had a defender scrambling near the goal mouth.

But on the 39th minute Joseph restored Civic’s two goal cushion with his second on the night for a 3-1 score.

Joseph, picked out by a long ball forward by Steven Joseph, lifted the ball over an onrushing Coker, well off his line, before casually placing the ball into the back of the net.

Joseph, with his deadly left foot on the prowl again, completed his hat-trick against substitute Caledonia goalkeeper Shemel Louison in the 77th minute from inside the area as Civic continued to lead the game with a 4-1 score.

Caledonia finally found a second item in the 82nd minute, provisionally reducing the deficit 2-4, following a smooth sequence of passing from Hayden Tinto, Kareem Joseph and goal scorer Purnell Schultz, who did well to turn inside his marker and hit past Phillip and into the far netting.

But four minutes later Civic were 5-2 in front when substitute and January transfer window signing Shackeil Henry, who had a tame effort cleared out after rounding Coker earlier, scored on debut by lobbing goalkeeper Louison after meeting a ball over the top by another substitute Andrei Pacheco.

And to add to insult, Caledonia suffered an own goal in stoppage time as Civic celebrated a 6-2 win.

Joseph had swung in cross from the left when Caledonia Keron Bethelmy intercepted in an attempt to clear the ball, but in error, he headed it perfectly out of Louison’s reach and into the back of his own net.

Round Two Match Day One action will resume on Saturday 17 January at the Marvin Lee Stadium when Defence Force take on North East Stars from 5 pm and Play Whe San Juan Jabloteh against Police FC from 7 pm.

Round Two Match Day One Friday’s Results

Central FC 4 (Ataullah Guerra 19’, 46’, Willis Plaza 37’, Jason Marcano 52’) vs St. Ann’s Rangers 1 (Keron Cornwall 77’)

Caledonia AIA 2 (Trayon Bobb 35’, Purnell Schultz 82’) vs Point Fortin Civic 6 (Akeem Redhead 10’, Marcus Joseph 33’, 39’, 77’, Shackiel Henry 86’, own goal 90’+3)

Teams

Central FC:  21.Jan-Michael Williams, 5.Akeem Benjamin (2.Elton John 56th), 45.Ataullah Guerra, 12.Jamal Jack, 7.Jason Marcano, 15.Kaydion Gabriel, 10.Marvin Oliver, 77.Rundell Winchester (99.Dwight Quintero 60th), 8.Sean de Silva (C) (11.Darren Mitchell 66th), 33.Willis Plaza, 4.Uriah Bentick

Unused substitutes: 30.Akel Clarke (GK), 14.Jean-Luc Rochford, 19.Nathaniel Garcia, 25.Elijah Manners

Coach: Zoran Vranes

St. Ann’s Rangers: 1.Junior Granger, 3.Al Davidson, 4.Jelani Peters (C), 10.Kennedy Isles, 11.Joseh Toussaint, 13.Jameel Antoine (9.Keron Cornwall 64th), 15.Seon Thomas, 16.David Williams, 23.Craig Wilson, 27.Nathan Julien (21.Keon Peters 64th), 44.Shaquille Williams (8.Sedale Mc Lean 56th)

Unused substitutes: 6.Shaquille Moses, 22.Christopher Biggette (GK), 28.Jared Bennett, 30.Chevon Legendre

Coach: Jason Spence

Teams

Caledonia AIA: 33.Zane Coker (1.Shemel Louison GK 69th), 8.Keron Bethelmy, 18.Trayon Bobb, 10.Hayden Tinto, 12.Kareem Joseph (C), 9.Keyon Edwards, 16.Pierre Hitner, 4.Conrad Smith (28.Purnell Schultz 46th), 20.Rogelio Robinson, 22.Jameel Neptune (19.Julio Noel 38th), 14.Keon Russell

Unused substitutes: 5.Christoper Mejia, 32.Kyle Bartholomew

Coach: Jamaal Shabazz

Point Fortin Civic: 1.Marvin Phillip, 2.Garyl Doldron, 12.Glenn Sutton, 5.Andre Ettienne (C), 13.Tevin Balfor, 6.Akeem Redhead, 8.Nickcolson Thomas, 11.Andre Toussaint (19.Andrei Pacheco 79th), 3.Steven Joseph (9.Matthew Bartholomew 76th), 10.Marcus Joseph, 20.Jamille Boatswain (15.Shakiel Henry 57th)

Unused substitutes: 52.Akini Adams (GK), 21.Andre Alexis, 15.Rondell Paul, 23.Kevin Rouse, 17.Keswin Goolie

Coach: Reynold Carrington