A converted penalty in the 67th minute by former Soca Warriors World Cup striker Anthony Wolfe was enough to earn debutants Central FC full points in its opening Digicel T&T Pro League match over Police at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella on Friday night.
The penalty was called by referee Cicile Henry in the 65th minute, when a short cross by out-of-favour national winger Hayden Tinto landed on the hand of defender Errol Charles. Wolfe, a former North East Stars and San Juan Jabloteh striker converted past goalkeeper Emmanuel Nurse.
Central which had its opening round clash against defending champions DirecTV W Connection postponed last month due to the latter's involvement in the Concacaf Champions League last played to a 3–0 defeat in the quarterfinal round of the First Citizens Cup.
However, from early the league newcomers took the match to the lawmen and were denied an opener in the 15th minute by Nurse, who blocked out a shot by Wolfe from at the top of the area. The Graham Rix-coached "Sharks" looked the better of the two sides offensively and missed the target in the 27th minute when Cyrano Glen out-jumped the Police defence but headed over bar off an Akeem Adams' cross. In the 36th minute a well-placed through-ball by Tinto found Wolfe, but he hammered the ball into the side netting from a tight angle.
On the resumption, Central with Pro League veterans Marvin Oliver, Marc Leslie and national goalkeeper Marvin Phillip in its line-up, continued to dominate with Glen, brother of North East Stars forward Cornell Glen, coming close with a free kick in the 54th.
Two minutes later Police, 2–0 winners over T&TEC in its league opener, had its best opening of the match when midfielder Stephen Knox, a former national youth team and Boston University striker controlled a pass from the right and got inside the area. However his left footed effort failed to trouble goalkeeper Phillip.
On the other end, Nurse made another block-out against Tyrone Charles in the 62nd minute, before conceding against Wolfe from the penalty spot and with two minutes left in the match Police defender Errol Charles redeemed himself by disposing Tyrone Charles of the ball in front of goal, after Nurse was beaten by substitute Shakeil Nesbitt's cross in a play created by Darryl Trim's diagonal pass on a counterattack.
But by the final whistle, the Sharks celebrated three points to sit fourth on the standings behind North East Stars, Defence Force, and Police on goal-difference while T&TEC?is fifth after beating St Ann's Rangers 3–2 yesterday.
In the night's feature match, W Connection and Neal & Massy Caledonia AIA battled to a 1–1 draw with Andrei Pacheco and Nathaniel Lewis the scorers.
Pacheco fired W Connection ahead with a fierce 35-yard free kick that clipped the far post on its way in past goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel in the 16th minute while Caledonia almost drew level within five through defender Kareem Joseph, but his right footed scorcher skimmed the crossbar with goalkeeper Aquelius Sylvester well beaten
The equaliser eventually came, three minutes into the second half, when Lewis fired past Sylvester and into the far corner from just inside the 18-yard area. Sylvester got the starter's role after W Connection captain and goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams, only returned home around 10.30 pm on Friday night from national team duties in the Caribbean Cup Group Five first round qualifiers in St Kitts/Nevis.
Down at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, last night, Bevon Bass netted a hat-trick for T&TEC to hold off St Ann's Rangers 3–2 while Defence Force and North East Stars faced off in the late match.
Results
Results:
Friday
Central FC 1 (Anthony Wolfe 67th) vs Police 0
W Connection 1 (Andrei Pacheco 16th) vs Caledonia 1 (Nathaniel Lewis)
Yesterday
T&TEC 3 (Bevon Bass 5th, 29th, 42nd) vs Rangers 2 (Jason Marcano 13th, Devon Modeste 19th pen)