Matura ReUnited and FC Santa Rosa secured contrasting victories to close the gap on the idle top trio of Defence Force, Guaya United and Tobago FC Phoenix 1976 when the 2015/2016 CNG National Super League Premier Division continued with three re-scheduled matches on Thursday.
Playing in front its home crowd at the Matura Recreation Ground, Matura ReUnited got an 84th minute winner from Shervin Charles, his second of the match, to edge past Petrotrin Palo Seco. Kerin Vincent had fired Matura into a 13th-minute lead, but Cebastian Bailey replied for the visitors four minutes later.
Charles then restored Matura’s lead in the 24th minute, but once again, Petrotrin Palo Seco got back on level terms, this time courtesy an own goal from the host in 30th minute.
The match seemed to be heading to an entertaining draw, until Charles banged in the decisive item six minutes from full time to carry his club to 41 points from 23 matches, 11 behind leaders Defence Force which have played 24 matches and have four left to play.
Second on the 15-team table is Guaya United with 53 points and a match in hand, while Tobago FC Phoenix 1976 has 46 from 24 matches.
Santa Rosa had a much easier time at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya, as it improved to 39 points in fifth spot when it coasted to a 4–0 victory over La Horquetta SA, with Keston Henry scoring a second-half hat-trick in the 66th, 71st and 83rd minutes after Gary Bart opened the scoring in the 35th.
And in the other match played, Juma Clarence’s 42nd minute strike secured Marabella Family Crisis Centre a 3–2 win over last year’s champions Club Sando Moruga at Grand Chemin Recreation Ground.
Keston Grant put Marabella Family ahead as early as the first minute, but Maurice Dick and Kareem Gill hit back for Club Sando Moruga in the fifth and ninth minute, respectively, for a 2–1 lead before captain Kurlan Khand got Marabella even in the 32nd.
Ten minutes later, Clarence put Marabella Family ahead for the second time in the match after which his team held firm in the second-half for all three points. Today, with Guaya United on a bye, Defence Force will have a chance to widen its lead at the top when it hosts third-placed Tobago FC Phoenix FC at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, from 4 pm.
Six other matches are scheduled throughout T&T.
(Teams)
Petrotrin Palo Seco (4-4-2): 22.Arnold Seales (GK); 13.Marvin Mark, 27.Wayne Huyghue, 14.Cebastian Bailey, 11.Isaiah Garcia; 19.Shakuile Williams, 17.Samuel John, 23.Xavier Seales, 20.Kervin Mark; 7.Kader Vargas, 9.Tyrell Seales.
Unused substitutes: 50.Garvin Collymore (GK).
Coach: Dexter Cyrus
Matura ReUnited (4-4-2): 30.Glenroy Samuel (GK); 4.Stephen Bobb, 2.Deon Capriata, 21.Timothy John, 6.Andron Casanova; 11.Joel Hoyte (18.Keran Figuera 67), 13.Keish Charles (12.Kitwana Abosi 45), 27.Zavion Navarro, 10.Shervin Charles (captain) (5.Shivon Charles 84); 31.Dorian Robinson, 9.Kerin Vincent.
Unused substitutes: 19.Keeda Woods, 28.Jason Beckles.
Coach: Devon Bobb
Referee: Roger Smith
Man of the Match: Shervin Charles (Matura ReUnited)
Results
Marabella Family CC 3 (Keston Grant 1st, Kurlan Khan 32nd, Juma Clarence 42nd) vs Club Sando Moruga 2 (Maurice Dick 5th, Kareem Gill 9th) Grand Chemin Rec, Ground, 4 pm
FC Santa Rosa 4 (Keston Henry 66th, 71st, 83rd, Gary Bart 35th) vs La Horquetta S.A 0, Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya, 5 pm
Matura Re United 3 (Shervin Charles 24th, 84th, Kerin Vincent 13th) vs Petrotrin Palo Seco 2 (Cebastian Bailey 17th, own goal 30th), Matura Recreation Ground, 4 pm
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Defence Force 24 17 3 4 55 28 54
Guaya Utd 23 17 2 4 63 27 53
Tobago Phoenix 24 14 4 6 48 30 46
Matura Re Utd 23 12 5 6 44 39 41
FC Santa Rosa 25 11 6 8 43 34 39
Police FC 24 10 5 9 52 39 35
WASA FC 23 10 4 9 35 25 34
Siparia Spurs 23 9 7 7 52 54 34
Marabella Family 25 8 9 8 52 50 33
Club Sando Moruga 24 8 5 11 41 47 29
Petrotrin Palo Seco 23 7 5 11 43 48 26
Bethel Utd 23 6 2 15 29 46 20
La Horquetta SA 23 5 4 14 37 64 19
Real Maracas 23 5 3 15 29 48 18
Stokely Vale 24 3 6 15 23 58 15
Today’s matches:
Defence Force vs Tobago Phoenix, Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva 4 pm
Marabella Family Crisis Centre vs Bethel United, Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, 4 pm
Stokely Vale vs Siparia Spurs, Plymouth Rec Ground, 5 pm
Club Sando Moruga vs Police FC, Grand Chemin Rec Ground, 4 pm
Matura Re United vs Real Maracas FC, Matura Rec Ground, 4 pm
WASA FC vs La Horquetta SA, WASA Ground, St Joseph, 4 pm
FC Santa Rosa vs Petrotrin Palo Seco, Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya, 5 pm
11