Entering midway through the season in Round Two Match Day Two on Friday and a total eight catch-up matches to play, defending Digicel Pro League champions Defence Force takes on Caledonia AIA from 8pm at the Larry Gomes Stadium on Friday night.
It’s the first match for the soldiers, since the Trinidad and Tobago Government lifted a three-month long State of Emergency on Monday 5 December which returned the National Security services back to a normalcy.
Defence Force begins its delayed start with a number of regulars that made up the Ross Russell coached side which lifted the 2010-11 Digicel Pro League Championship.
However standout captain Corey Rivers and left wingback Aklie Edwards will not feature this month for the soldiers. Rivers is currently on a promotional course and Edwards in the United States on trial according to Russell.
Commenting on his team’s return to the League, Russell told www.ttproleague.com, “All the players excited. They want to get back in the playing ways. They want to get back to the winning ways.”
Speaking on his team’s chances of retaining the championship, he said, “(It’s) not really difficult because we have been playing together as a team, just not at the professional level. It’s just for us to get back into the rhythm of professional football.”
Defence Force hunts an opening three points on Friday but comes up against its former ace, Devorn Jorsling who netted on debut for Caledonia in a 2-1 win over W Connection on Tuesday.
“I have no bad feelings when it comes to Jorsling,” said the Defence Force coach. “He left us to be a professional internationally and returned home on holidays. He is currently playing for his hometown club. We have no real fear for Jorsling. He played with us for some years and we know what to expect.”
Goalkeepers Kevin Graham and Dillon Prince together with outfield players Glynn Franklyn, Keston Williams, Rawle Fletcher, Devin Jordan, Michael Edwards, Richard Roy, Kurt Williams, Kerry Joseph, Kevon Carter, Jerwyn Balthazar, Balondemu Julius, Jemel Sebro, Anton Joseph, Dexter Thornhill, Sean Francis, Dexter Pacheco, Rodell Elcock, Jahvon Neptune and Christopher Durity along with newcomers Curtis Gonzales, Dwight Scott and Josimar Belgrave are all up for selection this weekend.
U21 players Ross Russell Jr., goalkeeper Sheldon Clarke, Cordell Cato and Jeron Morris are also likely to be used in the pro team by coach Russell this season.
New addition Curtis Gonzales, a former San Juan Jabloteh youth player who served in the Defence Force reserve team before joining Ma Pau SC last season said, ‘I’m excited because of the fact that I wasn’t playing professional football for an entire year.”
He added, “We(Defence Force) are prepared. The guys are not unfamiliar. We already have the brotherly love and it’s just to take it out on the field.”
In other Round Two Match Day Two fixtures St. Ann’s Rangers hosts W Connection from 6pm at the Larry Gomes Stadium on Friday. And on Saturday League leaders T&TEC FC takes on DIRECTV North East Stars at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium and Adam’s Construction San Juan Jabloteh against Police FC at the Larry Gomes Stadium both kicking off at 6pm.
2011-12 Digicel Pro League Championship
Round Two Match Day Two
Friday 16 December
Larry Gomes Stadium
St. Ann’s Rangers vs W Connection—6pm
Defence Force vs Caledonia AIA—8pm
Saturday 17 December
Mannie Ramjohn Stadium
T&TEC FC vs North East Stars—6pm
Larry Gomes Stadium
San Juan Jabloteh vs Police FC—6pm