CLICO San Juan Jabloteh registered their second Lucozade Big Six win from as many matches as they edged Neal & Massy Caledonia AIA 1-0 yesterday evening at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain.
The result saw Jabloteh stay atop the Big Six standings and, more importantly, they maintained a two-point lead over second placed W. Connection with four games left in the 2008 competition.
W. Connection trailed Economy North East Stars 2-1 after an hour's play at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya yesterday but fought back with two late goals from Hughtun Hector, whose shot deflected off Stars defender Brent Sancho, and substitute George Isaac to stay within striking distance of the leaders and defending champions, Jabloteh.
Elsewhere, Kevon Woodley preserved his hot streak with his fifth goal from six successive outings for United Petrotrin but Jamaican Wolry Wolfe scored in injury time to steal a 1-1 draw for bmobile Joe Public at the Palo Seco Recreation Ground.
There was late drama at the Hasely Crawford Stadium too but not the kind that patrons enjoy.
The floodlights never came on at the national venue and the last 15 minutes were played in near darkness. At the death, Caledonia substitute Hayden Tinto broke clear of the Jabloteh defence but failed to get his shot past the legs of opposing goalkeeper Cleon John.
It would have been a contentious goal and the Pro League executive committee would breathe a sigh of relief after already suffering a series of postponements for matters outside their control.
Both teams looked understrength at kick off although Caledonia's roster looked especially depleted with playmaker Densill Theobald still out injured while winger Hayden Tinto and striker Kendall Velox occupied seats on the bench.
Both teams had periods of dominance in the first half with little to show for it.
Caledonia left back Sheldon Emmanuel curled a free kick over from 25 yards in the seventh minute, while Jabloteh striker Jerol Forbes shot too close to opposing goalkeeper Dwain Sandy in the 29th minute. Emmanuel was receiving treatment at the sidelines, when Forbes took aim, and it would have been harsh on Caledonia to concede at that point.
But fate was not on the side of the "Eastern Stallions" yesterday. Sandy showed safe hands in a earlier encounter with lively Jabloteh substitute and "Soca Warrior" Cornell Glen but, in the 71st minute, Glen's header bounced awkwardly off the Caledonia custodian's knee and then ricocheted off Pollard for the opening goal.
The lights went out for Caledonia, figuratively and literally, as the typically rapid Caribbean sunset left both teams in the dark as they contested the closing minutes. Tinto nearly conjured an equaliser but could not beat John.
Jabloteh coach Terry Fenwick must hope his luck holds for four more matches with Connection breathing down his neck.
Yesterday's Lucozade Big Six scores:
Jabloteh 1 (Charles Pollard OG 71) v Caledonia 0
W Connection 3 (Teba McKnight 15, Hughtun Hector 73, George Isaac 77) v NE Stars 2 (Carlos Gonzales 52, Leslie Fitzpatrick 60)
United Petrotrin 1 (Kevon Woodley 73) v Joe Public 1 (Wolry Wolfe 90)