Defence Force, Stars storm into FA quarters

Digicel T&T Pro League leaders, Defence Force and mid-table team DirecTV North East Stars booked their places in the T&T Football Federation FA Trophy quarterfinal round with comprehensive wins over Damarie Hill Reunited and Taylor Rental's Goal City respectively on Monday night.

Playing in one of the two late matches, the “Teteron Boys” followed up their 9-1 demolition of Petrotrin Palo Seco in the round-of-32 with a 7-1 whipping of Eastern Counties Football Union (ECFU) Reunited led by braces from Akiel Pierre and Albert Dexter Thornhill at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar.Despite the absence of striker Devon Jorsling due to international duty with the Soca Warriors at the Digicel Caribbean Cup Finals in Martinique, Defence Force was expected to make light work of its opponents.

And after a slow start Kurt Williams fired Defence Force into a 30th minute lead while Pierre, who netted a hat-trick in the win over Petrotrin Palo Seco made it 2-0 four minutes before the half. On the stroke of half-time Kendell Nottinghill pulled one back for Reunited but in the second-half, the "Teteron Boys" ­­­turned up the heat on their opponents with five un-answered goals.

Thornhill got his first in the 49th minute while Pierre made it 4-1 four minutes later before Thornhill also completed his double in the 55th minute.Marvin Jones (74th) and Ronald "Sharky" St Louis (77th) then added their names to the score sheet to completed the easy win to set up a quarterfinal clash with fellow Pro League club St Ann's Rangers.

In addition to Rangers', DirecTV North East Stars and Ma Pau are the two other Pro League clubs which have qualified for the last eight. They will be joined the winner of the all-Pro League clash between bmobile Joe Public and San Juan Jabloteh and Caledonia AIA providing it gets past Defence Force Super League squad in the two remaining round-of-16 matches.

Over at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, Tobago, Stars fell behind to a 36th minute strike from Goal City's Akini Ferguson which it held until the interval in the second match of a double-header.