Forward Jameel Perry scored one and set up another within a space of three minutes early into the second half to lead Police FC to a 2-1 win over his former employers Morvant Caledonia United in the first game of Friday night’s Digicel Pro League double-header at the Ato Boldon Stadium.
The 21-year-old Suriname international forward, unmarked at the back post, volleyed into an exposed Civic net five minutes into the second half off a cross from left full-back Kurt Frederick to earn Stuart Charles-Fevrier’s men the win.
That goal lifted Connection (40 points) into second, edging a point ahead of Defence Force, who face San Juan Jabloteh from 6:30pm at the Barataria Recreation Ground on Saturday.
Defending champions Central FC are at the summit with 40 points and Jabloteh are fourth with 35 points, while Police are one point below fifth-positioned North East Stars (32 points).
Perry, after adjusting his scope just inside the area, fired Police ahead 1-0 in the 48th-minute when he struck low and powerfully to beat Caledonia goalkeeper Marvin Phillip following a lifted pass by Kareem Freitas.
Police then took a 2-0 cushion in the 51st-minute after Perry squared a pass across the area and Makesi Lewis clinically found the far bottom corner for his season 17th league goal beyond Phillip, who he joins on the Trinidad and Tobago national team for a friendly international away to Grenada on March 19.
Caledonia had an excellent opportunity to reduce the deficit on the hour mark but defender Robert Primus, who was used as an experimental forward, spilled high overbar from the edge of the six-yard area after lunging to meet a Pernell Schultz cross.
The 25-year-old T&T international Primus, who was previously based in Kazakhstan and is coming off a lengthy layoff due to a knee injury, was involved in two excellent go-ahead opportunities which were wasted in the first half.
Caledonia finally pulled back a goal through midfielder Jameel Neptune in the first of three minutes stoppage-time, with a blast from the centre of the area.
Police goalkeeper Adrian Foncette, who made excellent saves to deny Caledonia substitute Marcus Ambrose and Otev Lawrence in the 64th and 88th minutes, respectively, was unable to preserve his clean sheet due to the pace of Neptune’s strike.
Police, however, maintained their one hundred percent win record this season against the eight-placed Caledonia, the side they defeated 2-1 on Oct. 27 and 5-0 on Jan. 19.
Connection, who defeated Civic 3-1 on Oct. 17 en route to lifting this season’s First Citizens Cup and 7-1 in the league on Jan. 19, avoided another 0-0 result they had against the Point Fortin side on Oct. 27 in the league, thanks to Apai’s goal.
But coach Charles-Fevrier was left with more concerns than comfort after his side’s display against the ninth-placed Civic. His side failed to make light work of Civic by squandering a handful of point-blank scoring chances.
Apai struck wide in the 24th minute with the goalkeeper Goodman at his mercy after St. Lucia international Frederick swung a perfect cross behind the Civic defence.
Then a minute from the half 20-year-old Grenada forward Jamal Charles directed an effort wide of the target, with an open net at his disposal after a hard worked Alvin Jones cross had left ‘keeper Goodman beaten out of his goal.
Four minutes after redeeming himself with the eventual game-winning strike, Apai was denied a second by Goodman.
But from the resulting corner kick play, Apai casually lifted the ball off his thigh at the Civic goal mouth, making for a comfortable gather by the goalkeeper.
Goodman, who denied Connection teenaged midfielder Isaiah Hudson his first top flight goal in the 22nd-minute, was excellent again just before the hour mark when he dived low to his right to push wide a powerful 25-yard free-kick from Alvin Jones.
Connection attacks continued but so did their poor finishing, even with the arrival of second half substitutes Jomal Williams and Shahdon Winchester, who are both part of the T&T squad to face Grenada.
Williams (J) fired wide of an empty goal in the 76th-minute after being picked out by an Apai cross, and in stoppage-time Winchester struck inches wide of the upright with Goodman at his mercy.
Results
Morvant Caledonia United 1 (Jameel Neptune 90’+1) vs Police FC 2 (Jameel Perry 48’, Makesi Lewis 51’), at Ato Boldon Stadium;
W Connection 1 (Dimitrie Apai 50’) vs Point Fortin Civic 0; at Ato Boldon Stadium.
Teams
Morvant Caledonia United: 1.Marvin Phillip; 2.Robert Primus (4.Ordell Flemming 62nd minute), 5.Maestro Mensah, 12.Kareem Joseph (Capt.), 15.Otev Lawrence, 16.Antonio Joseph (11.Abdallah Phillips 81st minute), 17.Akim Armstrong, 18.Leslie Russell, 22.Jameel Neptune, 28.Pernell Schultz, 29.Kareem Knights (6. Marcus Ambrose 62nd minute)
Unused substitutes: 3.Ranaldo Bailey, 8.Anthony Charles, 20.Jamaal Harvey, 34.Stephon Seepersad
Coach: Jerry Moe
Police FC: 1.Adrian Foncette; 5.Anton Hutchinson, 6.Jibri Mc David (2.Jasimar Ashers 54th minute), 9.Makesi Lewis, 10.Kareem Freitas, 14.Kaaron Foster, 15.Jameel Perry (8.Kurdell Brathwaite 69th minute), 17.Dexter Alleyne, 20.Elijah Belgrave, 21.Todd Ryan (Capt.) (30.Dylon King 63rd minute), 26.Kadeem Riley
Unused substitutes: 13.Ricardo Peltier, 16.Keon Wilson, 24.Devon Jamerson, 28.Kern Caesar (GK)
Coach: Richard Hood
Match Referee: Kallum Marshall
Teams
W Connection: 1.Terrence Lewis; 2.Kurt Frederick, 3.Gerard Williams, 5.Triston Hodge, 12.Dimitrie Apai, 13.Hughtun Hector (Capt.), 16.Alvin Jones, 20.Jamal Charles (9.Shahdon Winchester 46th minute), 26.Paolo De La Guardia Alvarez, 32.Isaiah Hudson (10.Jomal Williams 46th minute), 34.Jabari Mitchell (25.Daneil Cyrus 66th minute)
Unused substitutes: 22.Aquelius Sylvester (GK), 8.Briel Thomas, 17.Aikim Andrews, 27.Jelani Peters
Coach: Stuart Charles Fevrier
Point Fortin Civic: 1.Miles Goodman; 7.Nickcolson Thomas, 8.Akeem Redhead, 9.Shackiel Henry, 11.Tigana Sparks (20.Jamille Boatswain 72nd minute), 16.Kelvin Modeste, 19.Andrei Pacheco (Capt.), 21.Ronell Paul, 24.Juma Clarence, 29.Sylvester Teesdale, 32.Jamal John (6.Jayson Joseph 63rd minute)
Unused substitutes: 52.Akini Adams (GK), 3.Kurfi Pierre, 12.Glenn Sutton, 31.Shaquille Dublin, 26.Kerne George
Coach: Leroy De Leon
Referee: Rasby Mc Phie