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Army, N/E Stars and W Connection bundle in second

On fire Defence Force forward Richard Roy took his Digicel Pro League tally to seven goals this season, with a first half brace on Friday night to steer the soldiers to a 2-1 win over eight placed Caledonia AIA in the second match of a Round Two Match Day Four double header at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.



North East Stars, in the earlier match, also plucked a 2-1 win, overcoming Play Whe San Juan Jabloteh thanks to a blunder in the 89th minute by goalkeeper Raheem Belgrave.

Belgrave had allowed a cross by Stars’ substitute Dwane James to slip through his hands and legs near the goal line and Keryn Navarro – the intended target of the cross – was alert to bundle the ball over the line for the winner.

Neveal Hackshaw had given North East Stars a 1-0 lead just 11 minutes into the match with a diving header at the back post to beat Belgrave after a left side corner was played back across the area.

However Jabloteh got back on level terms in the 62nd minute for a 1-1 score thanks to a Josiah Trimmingham header.

Trimmingham, who was fouled on the right, towered in the area to meet a perfectly-placed kick, from the resulting free kick, by former Stars’ midfielder and second half substitute Tyrone Charles to head past a fully stretched goalkeeper Cleon John. John was unable to pull off another miraculous save like he did in the 45th minute to keep out Jamaican Fabian Reid's volley at the near post.

But in the end, thanks to a gift by his opposite number, John and North East Stars were the ones celebrating maximum points.

Roy, in the second match, coming off a hat-trick against QPCC FC in a 7-1 preliminary round win on Wednesday in the FA Trophy, scored in spectacular fashion for his first on Friday night.

The 27-year-old Defence Force target man – making the best of life in the spot light with regular ace Devorn Jorsling a regular on the bench – catapulted a Marvin Jones cross into goalkeeper Shemel Louison's upper corner at the near post for a 1-0 advantage over Caledonia on the 27th minute.

And in the 45th minute Roy was awarded his second on the night when his ricocheted strike off goalkeeper Louison then defender Pierre Hitner had the ball into the back of the net for a 2-0 Defence Force cushion.

The goal levelled Roy with Jabloteh’s Kerry Baptiste and Central FC’s Ataulla Guerra on 7 goals at the top of the DPL scorers’ list this season, but five minutes into the second period, Caledonia’s Pernell Schultz joined in at the top.

The Guyana international reduced the deficit 1-2 from the penalty spot for his seventh DPL goal of the season after referee Callum Marshall ruled a handball against Jones in the 50th minute.

Schultz struck low to the left Sheldon Clarke and although the Defence Force goalie had glove to the ball, he couldn’t stop the strike from entering the back of the net.

Three minutes later Roy had the ball in the back of the net again but the 2012 Pro League Player of the Year and joint Golden Boot winner's celebrations for a third goal on the night, after putting a Josimar Belgrave cross past Louison, was cut short by an offside call.

Belgrave, who scored a double against QPCC FC in midweek, had the Defence Force’s first try in the 17th minute but Louison comfortable gathered the low effort which was sent in from distance. Josimar had two more excellent tries that were inches away from the target, first from a free kick in the 40th minute then from a rebound in the 69th minute.

As for Caledonia, the Morvant/Laventille failed to find the equaliser and continues to occupy a seat in the bottom half with 11 points.    

With the wins, North East Stars and Defence Force now equal on 20 points as second placed defending champion W Connection in ascending order, and six points adrift of leader Central FC (26 points).

But a win for Connection on Saturday 31 January against cellar placed St. Ann’s Rangers from 3:30 pm at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium in their Round Two Match Day Four fixture would see the “Savonetta Boys” pull three points away from Friday’s winners. While Central will face fifth placed Police FC from 6 pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium on Sunday 01 February to wrap up the round.

Round Two Match Day Four Results

Friday 30 January 2015

North East Stars 2 (Neveal Hackshaw 11', Keryn Navarro 89') vs San Juan Jabloteh 1 (Josiah Trimmingham 67'

Caledonia AIA 1 (Pernell Schultz 50') vs Defence Force 2 (Richard Roy 27', 45')

Teams

North East Stars: 22.Cleon John (C); 4.Keithy Simpson, 5.Aquil Selby, 41.Neveal Hackshaw (14.Dwane James 79th), 10.Keron Cummings (7.Russell Alfred 85th), 12.Jayson Joseph, 15.Glenton Wolfe, 25.Keryn Navarro, 44.Keon Joseph, 40.Jomoul Francois (6.Jeromie Williams 62nd), 38.Jesus Perez

Unused substitutes: 1.Stefan Berkeley (GK), 3.Kareem Richardson, 35.Jordan Devonish, 42.Taryk Sampson

Coach: Angus Eve

San Juan Jabloteh: 36.Raheem Belgrave; 27.Maurice Johnson (29.Tyrone Charles 46th), 18.Jevon Morris, 22.Calib Sturge, 10.Kerry Baptiste, 24.Adrian Reid, 12.Brendon Boucaud, 15.Isaiah Mc Intyre (5.Mudassa Howe 71st), 17.Fabian Reid, 9.Johan Peltier, 26.Josiah Trimmingham (4.Garth Thomas 79th)

Unused substitutes: 35.Aaron Enill (GK), 6.Dario Holmes, 23.Brendon Figuera, 25.Troy Moses

Coach: Keith Jeffrey

Teams

Caledonia AIA: 1.Shemel Louison; 8.Keron Bethelmy, 10.Hayden Tinto, 26.Nicholas Mercano (5.Cristoper Mejia 46th), 12.Kareem Joseph (C), 9.Keyon Edwards, 16.Pierre Hitner, 28.Pernell Schultz (19.Julio Noel 78th), 32.Kyle Bartholomew (18.Trayon Bobb 46th), 22.Jameel Neptune, 23.Jamil Joseph

Unused substitutes: 31.Kyle Adams, 60.D'Eandre Villaroel (GK), 4.Conrod Smith

Coach: Jerry Moe

Defence Force: 25.Sheldon Clarke; 2.Glynn Franklyn, 10.Josimar Belgrave (3.Keston Williams 90th), 13.Marvin Jones, 22.Jamali Garcia, 26.Richard Roy, 90.Jerlani Felix, 99.Jerwyn Balthazar, 17.Ross Russell Jr., 11.Akeem Roach (4.Dave Long 46th), 18.Sean Narcis (21.Aklie Edwards 77th)

Unused substitutes: 9.Devorn Jorsling, 24.Brandon Joseph, 28.Andre Marchan (GK), 19.Dexter Pacheco

Coach: Marvin Gordon.

Upcoming matches

Saturday 31 January 2015

St. Ann's Rangers vs W Connection—3:30 pm, Manny Ramjohn Stadium

Sunday 01 February 2015

Police FC vs Central FC—6 pm, Ato Boldon Stadium

Tuesday 02 February 2015

Point Fortin Civic vs W Connection—4 pm, Mahaica Oval, Point Fortin

Caledonia AIA vs St. Ann's Rangers—6 pm, Ato Boldon Stadium

Defence Force vs Central FC—8 pm, Ato Boldon Stadium

Marvin Lee Stadium

North East Stars vs Police FC—6 pm