Stars drop Police 2-1

North East Stars picked up its third Digicel Pro League win when it defeated Police FC 2-1 in the opening match of a double-header at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, on Saturday.

An opening item by former national striker Cornell Glen and a superb strike from Jamaican midfielder Keithy Simpson had the Stars in front by two goals before giving away a penalty just before the hour mark.

The Angus Eve-coached North East Stars remains fourth on the standings with 13 points from nine matches (3-4-2), three points behind defending champion DirecTV W Connection (16 points) and four away from second positioned Caledonia AIA (17 points), but not close enough to the leader, Defence Force (25 points) which defeated the Stars 1-0 last weekend and hammered Caledonia 5-1, on Friday.

North East Stars was lucky not to concede in the 27th minute against Police when Christon Thomas tried his luck from a distance, only to hit the crossbar.

Three minutes later, on the other end, Glen failed to hit the back of the net when he casually flicked a Micah Lewis pass towards goal which was chauffeured away by Elijah Belgrave.

However, in the 38th minute, Glen, from the centre of the area, made no mistake when he smashed a hard-worked Lewis cross into an exposed goal for the 1-0 advantage.

Lewis, who evaded a sloppy challenge by defender Akiba Peters to provide Glen with the cross, was later replaced by Kaydion Gabriel during the interval and was seen nursing a knee injury.

Then came the Simpson item in the 52nd minute.

The former Tivoli Garden FC player whipped a right-footed curling effort from some 30 yards out to beat goalkeeper Adisa Alleyne inside the far netting for the 2-0 cushion.

But, that advantage was cut in half after referee Joel Davidson ruled that midfielder Keryn Navarro handled the ball in attempt to control it inside the area in the 56th minute.

Police midfielder and team captain Todd Ryan stepped up and buried his kick into the centre of goal beating a fully sprawled Cleon John.

The Stars had two late opportunities from substitute Gabriel to return their two-goal advantage.

Gabriel was denied by Alleyne in the 84th minute after he was set free by a Navarro pass on a counterattack, and in injury time his glancing header off an Akiel Guevara cross found the side netting.

Nevertheless, the score-line remained and the Sangre Grande club celebrated victory. 

Meantime, Police FC, which held the Stars to a 1-1 score in Round One, pocketed its fourth League defeat and occupied fifth position with 10 points from 10 games (2-4-4).

In the second match on the night, Central FC went into sixth spot after a 1-1 draw with rock-bottom T&TEC.

Standings

Teams Pld W D L F A Pts

Defence Force 10 8 1 1 33 12 25

Caledonia AIA 9 5 2 2 24 14 17

W Connection 9 4 4 1 17 8 9

North East Stars 9 3 4 2 12 10 13

Police FC 10 2 4 4 10 13 10

Central FC 8 2 2 4 8 16 8

St Ann’s Rangers 9 2 2 5 12 23 8

T&TEC 10 1 1 8 7 27 4 

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