W Connection lifts 2011-12 Digicel Pro League title in emphatic style

Connection needed maximum points at the Ato Boldon Stadium against the ‘Lawmen’ for a chance, while T&TEC chased just one point from its match against third positioned Caledonia AIA at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium.

When the dust cleared at both venues, it was the Stuart Charles Fevrier coached Connection that executed what was required in attaining full points with Andre Quashie (22nd and 79th minutes) and Jerrel Britto (72nd and 90th minutes) both scoring twice and Hashim Arcia (32nd minute), Clyde Leon (37th minute) from the penalty spot, Shahdon Winchester (68th minute) and Kenaz Williams (92nd minute) adding to the insult of a depleted Police outfit.

Police—finishing seventh with 18 points—without suspended key starters goalkeeper Adisa Alleyne, midfielder Kareem Young and attacking winger Noel Williams and coming off Tuesday’s 6-1 defeat against T&TEC, picked up its lone item from central defender Weslie John in the 68th minute against the ‘Savonnetta Boys’ which last won the League title back in 2005.

And further south, T&TEC surrendered its strong chance of lifting the title on debut by falling to a 3-2 defeat against Caledonia to end the season with 39 points, while the Morvant/Laventille club finished a position lower than last season in third with 38 points.

Guyanese attacker Sheldon Holder scored twice for Caledonia, opening the scoring and equalizing before substitute teammate Mekesi Lewis smashed in the winner.

Holder netted his first in the 12th minute by guiding a Tyayon Bobb cross past goalkeeper Marvin Phillip on the left for a 1-0 advantage after the defense was left beaten.

Two minutes later a low cross by T&TEC’s Sylvester Teesdale from the right found Vurlon Mills inside the six yard area between two Caledonia defenders and the Guyanese forward coming off a hattrick against Police this week, slipped a shot past his Guyanese international teammate Ronson Williams to level the scores 1-1.

Caledonia’s Devorn Jorsling was inches wide of the upright in the 29th minute and that was followed up by T&TEC’s Teesdale being denied by the legs of Ronson Williams in the 31st minute and moments before the half time whistle Bevon Bass fired high and wide in another ‘Electric Boys’ attempt.

Fifty seconds inside the second period T&TEC were awarded a penalty by referee Neil Brizan when leftwing-back Akeem Adams went down against a challenge by Nuru Abdullah Muhammad.

Midfielder Kevon Neaves made no mistake from the penalty spot handing the ‘Electric Boys’ a 2-1 advantage by cracking a low left footed shot on the right on goalkeeper Williams who chose the wrong side.

Excitement flowed when in the 61st minute Holder notched his second on the night to level the scores 2-2, capitalizing on a rebound from close range after goalkeeper Phillip made a superb block-out against an Ataulla Guerra strike.

Caledonia then made it 3-2 by the 68th minute when substitute Mekesi Lewis blasted a shot past Phillip after a neat buildup inside the area just six minutes after replacing winger Trayon Bobb.

In the 81st minute Lewis was denied his second by the upright and in the 84th minute Phillip pulled off a fine save to deny a powerful Jorsling strike.

It clearly wasn’t T&TEC’s time to shine when near the end Caledonia’s Kareem Joseph had to make two attempts before fully clearing a ball out of his team’s goalmouth and three minutes from time another clearance was made off the line after T&TEC substitute Kerlon Furgeson had an empty goal at his mercy after beating the offside latching onto a ball over the top from midfield.

In other Round Three Match Day Seven results last season’s champions Defence Force wrapped up a fourth positioned finished with 32 points by getting past fifth positioned Adam’s Construction San Juan Jabloteh(27 points) 3-0 in the first match at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium.

And in the opening match at the Ato Boldon Stadium, DIRECTV North East Stars managed a sixth position finish with 20 points by registering a 2-0 win over bottom of the table St. Ann’s Rangers(17 points).

2011-12 Digicel Pro League Championship
Full Round Three Match Day Seven results

Caledonia AIA 3—2 T&TEC FC[/b]
Sheldon Holder 12’, 61’, Makesi Lewis 68’  ;  Vurlon Mills 14’, Kevon Neaves 47’

Defence Force 3—0 San Juan Jabloteh
Levi Serries 32’, Richard Roy 35’, Christon Baptiste 45’

North East Stars 2—0 St. Ann’s Rangers
Ryan Stewart 30’ (pen), Jeronimo Wendes De Sousa 49’

W Connection 8—1 Police
Andre Quashie 22’, 79’, Hashim Arcia 32’, Clyde Leon 37’ (pen), Shahdon Winchester 68’’, Jerrel Britto 72’, 90’, Kenaz Williams 90’+ ;  Weslie John 68’

Teams

Caledonia AIA—Ronson Williams, Stephan David (capt), Nuru Abdullah Muhammad (Yellow Card), Colin Nelson, Abdallah Phillips (Keron Bethelmy 83rd), Kareem Joseph, Trayon Bobb (Makesi Lewis 62nd), Walter Moore (Yellow Card), Ataullah Guerra (Yellow Card), Devorn Jorsling (Yellow Card), Sheldon Holder (Keyon Edwards 77th)

Coach—Jamaal Shabazz

T&TEC FC—Marvin Phillip, Romauld Aguillera (capt) (Kelvin Modeste 65th), Corneal Thomas, Vurlon Mills (Jamal Ayres 71st), Brenton De Leon, Sylvester Teesdale (Yellow Card), Kern Peters (Yellow Card), Bevon Bass (Yellow Card) (Kurlon Ferguson 78th), Kevon Neaves, Akeem Adams, Aubrey David

Coach—Dexter Cyrus