Adrian Reid converted a penalty as Play Whe San Juan Jabloteh overcame a 1–0 deficit to beat Club Sando 2–1 in the remaining fixture of the Digicel T&T Pro League at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Wednesday, in their Round Two Match Day Eight clash.
The win lifted Jabloteh to 26 points from 17 matches, 11 adrift of leader and defending champion Central FC, while former winners DirecTV W Connection and Defence Force are next with 35 and 33 points, respectively, and Police FC, fourth with 27.
During a modest first half, Club Sando’s recent signing, 20-year-old USA-born striker Bradley Nestor, had the best attempt but his free-kick flashed over the bar. Moments later, Jabloteh’s Nathan Lewis struck the Club Sando upright with a cheeky attempt to beat goalkeeper Jason Belfon at the near upright.
Twenty minutes into the second half, Club Sando went ahead through an own goal, credited to Jabloteh midfielder Keyon Edwards, after an attempted clearance from a Ryan Frederick cross by defender Jerome Mc Intyre cannoned off his teammate and back into the net.
However, Jabloteh, which hammered Club Sando 6–0 when both sides met on December 15 last year in Round One, levelled the scores 1–1 through Garth Thomas. Put through on goal, Thomas fired Jabloteh level on the second attempt after Belfon parried the first attempt.
Reid grabbed all three points when he converted a penalty in the 75th minute after referee Keilon Bacchus whistled for a trip on Jabloteh winger Kennedy Hinkson.
Results, standings and fixTures
Wednesday
San Juan Jabloteh 2 (Garth Thomas 70th, Adrian Reid 75th pen) vs Club Sando 1 (65’ Own Goal)
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Central FC 17 11 4 2 41 12 37
W Connection 17 10 5 2 41 14 35
Defence Force 17 9 6 2 41 10 33
Police FC 17 8 3 6 41 34 27
Jabloteh 17 8 2 7 29 28 26
North East Stars 17 6 5 6 20 33 23
Club Sando 17 5 2 10 16 32 17
Morvant Caledonia 17 5 1 11 17 38 16
Pt Fortin Civic 17 3 4 10 15 38 13
St Ann’s Rangers 17 2 4 11 15 37 10
Round Two Match Day Nine
Saturday, February 20
Mannie Ramjohn Stadium
Morvant Caledonia United vs Defence Force – 3.30 pm
Larry Gomes Stadium
St Ann’s Rangers vs Central FC – 3.30 pm
Mahaica Oval
Point Fortin Civic vs Police FC – 5 pm
Sunday, February 21
Larry Gomes Stadium
North East Stars vs San Juan Jabloteh – 3.30 pm
Mannie Ramjohn Stadium
W Connection vs Club Sando – 3.30 pm