Three different players were on target as defending T&T Football Association FA Trophy champions and four-time winners (1999, 2000, 2002, 2013-2014) DirecTV W Connection dumped 2006 winners WASA FC 3-0 at the WASA Ground, St. Joseph on Sunday in their round-of-32 clash.
With an eye on today's (Tuesday) Digicel T&T Pro League clash with Caledonia AIA at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, W Connection coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier opted to rest regular players Hashim Arcia, Gerard Williams, Jerrel Britto, Mikeil Williams, Kurt Frederick, Tremain Shayn Paul, Alvin Jones, Akeem Garcia and goalkeeper Julani Archibald.
However, WASA, who defeated the "Savonetta Boys" 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the preliminary round of the Toyota Classic last November, failed to measure up on its own home turf.
National Under-20 midfielder Aikim Andrews, fired W Connection 1-0 ahead in the 18th minute when his 30-yards blast took a deflection and whisked past former Youth World Cup goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel, and into the top far corner of the goal.
The "Water Boys", coached by ex-Strike Squad defender Marvin Faustin, managed to keep W Connection at bay until the final 15 minutes.
First, substitute and speedy winger, Neil Benjamin Jr, made it 2-0 in the 76th minute when he latched onto a perfect Anslem Jackson pass to hit past Samuel from close up two minutes after his introduction.
Then with six minutes left in the match, St Lucian forward Shirvone St Prix finally found the mark after missing a few chances by finishing off a sweeping move involving Triston Hodge, Benjamin and Jabari Mitchell from the edge of the box.
Joining W Connection in the last-16 were fellow professional outfits and current Digicel T&T Pro League leaders' Central FC, former winners Police, San Juan Jabloteh, North East Stars, Defence Force and Caledonia AIA.
Inform Pt Fortin Civic also reached the next round on penalty-kicks while the lone exception of the Pro League brigade was St Ann's Rangers.
Finalists in the last two finals, Central FC crushed Eastern Counties Football Union (ECFU) outfit Rio Claro United 7-0 led by braces from midfielders Jean-Luc Rochford (28th and 80th minutes) and Nathaniel Garcia (30th and 46th minutes) at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.
The trio of national midfielder Ataulla Guerra (21st), Brandon Simpson (66th) and Densil Daniel (90th) were the other scorers for the Zoran Vranes-coached "Couva Sharks".
Police, FA Trophy winners in 1975, 1999 and 1994, whipped Tobago Football Association (TFA) outfit, Youth Stars 4-0 with Kenaz Williams (31st and 53rd minutes) firing in a double, and January signings Makesi Lewis (44th minute) and Shaquille Nesbit (59th minute) a goal each at the St James Police Barracks Training Ground, Long Circular Road.
Jabloteh, winners in 1998, 2005 and 2010-2011, advanced with a 4-1 win over Eastern Counties Football Union (ECFU) outfit Biche United at the Biche Recreation Ground.
Shaquille Bertrand opened the scoring in the 20th minute and Newton Sterling added the second in the 31st while Deron Lewis cut the lead in half in the 54th.
However, in the second-half, Brendon Figuera (66th) and Kendes Garcia (90th) added second-half items for the "San Juan Kings" to seal victory.
The Sangre Grande-based Stars, winners in 2003, Defence Force, champions in 1974, 1981, 1985, 1989, 1991 and 1996, and Caledonia, winners in 2008, 2011-2012 and 2012-2013, all registered 2-0 wins over Enterprise Life Sport (Central Football Association), Defence Force (Super League) and Prison FC (Eastern Football Association) respectively.
Pt Fortin Civic needed penalty kicks to oust Super League outfit, Petrotrin Palo Seco, 4-3 after a 0-0 draw at the Mahaica Oval, extending its unbeaten run under interim coach and former T&T standout, Leroy De Leon to four matches, three of which were Pro League wins.
However, Rangers, at the bottom of the Pro League standings with just one point after 14 matches, went under 0-2 against Super League's Guaya United at the Guaya High School Ground, Guayaguayare.
Other winners included Pro League-bound and reigning Super League champions Club Sando, Bethel United, Roxborough Lakers and SKHY FC which got the better of joint record FA winners, Maple (seven titles with Malvern) at Dibe Ground, Long Circular, 2-1.
The fixture between Tamana United and St Francois Nationals had to be postponed due to the D'Marie Hill Recreation Ground in Sangre Grande not being sufficiently marked, while Penal All Stars and Moruga United failed to show for their matches in Tobago against Super League outfit Stokelyvale FC and Black Rock FC respectively.
The TTFA FA Trophy organising committee was expected to give a verdict yesterday after reviewing the reasons of Penal All Stars and Moruga United over their no-show ahead of tomorrow's (Wednesday) last-16 draw and Sunday's next round of matches.
Results
Sunday's T&TFF FA Trophy round-of-32 results:
Pt Fortin Civic 0 vs Petrotrin Palo Seco 0 - Pt Fortin won 4-3 on penalty-kicks
W Connection 3 (Aikim Andrews 18th, Neil Benjamin Jr 76th, Shirvone St Prix 84') vs WASA 0
Guaya United 2 vs St Ann's Rangers 0
Club Sando 4 (Ryan Fredericks 5th, Teba Mc Knight 50th, Kemuel Rivers 84th, Akeem Humphrey 90th) vs FC Santa Rosa 2 (Jovan Rochford 40th, 60th)
D/Force (Pro League) 2 (Jerwyn Balthazar 29th, Jemel Sebro 60th) vs D/Force (Super League) 0
Central FC 7 (Ataulla Guerra 21st, Jean-Luc Rochford 28th, 80th, Nathaniel Garcia 30th, 46th, Brandon Simpson 66th, Densil Daniel 90th) vs Rio Claro United 0
Bethel United 2 (Vernon Wilson 61st, Azimodeen Leith 81st) vs Goal City 1 (Azel Taylor 32nd)
Jabloteh 4 (Shaquil Bertrand 20th, Newton Sterling 31st, Brendon Figuera 66th, Kendes Garcia 90th) vs Biche United 1 (Deron Lewis 54th)
North East Stars 2 (Russell Alfred, Keithy Simpson) vs Enterprise Life Sport 0
R/borough Lakers 1 (Quasi Beckles 90th) vs Cunupia FC 1 (Lester Joseph 79th) - Lakers won 5-4 on penalty-kicks
SKHY FC 2 (Shakir Cole 52nd pen, 81st) vs Maple FC 1 (Isaiah Vialva 77th)
Police 4 (Kenaz Williams 31st, 53rd, Makesi Lewis 44th, Shaquille Nesbit 59th) vs Youth Stars 0
Caledonia AIA 2 (Keyon Edwards 27', Mikaeel Gordon 69') vs Prison FC 0
Matches That Did Not Play:
D'Marie Hill Recreation Ground, Sangre Grande
Tamana FC vs St Francois Nationals (postponed due to field not properly marked)
Plymouth Recreation Ground
StokelyVale FC vs Penal All Stars (to be determined by the TTFA)
Black Rock Recreation Ground
Black Rock FC vs Moruga FC (to be determined by the TTFA)