Second-positioned Caledonia AIA held off a gritty second-half performance by St Ann's Rangers, to remain alive in the Digicel TT Pro League title challenge, with a 2-1 win at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, on Wednesday night.
Caledonia opened the scoring in the rescheduled Round One Match Day Seven contest, from the penalty spot in the 13th minute, with Kareem Joseph converting past Rangers goalkeeper Zane Coker into the upper right corner for a 1-0 advantage.
Coker had initially brought Trevin Caesar down inside the area after the Tobagonian forward was set free by a Sherron Joseph pass and referee Cecile Hinds wasted no time in signalling to the spot.
Caesar then added Caledonia's second in the 16th minute for an early 2-0 cushion when he capitalised on lapses by defender Musa Nakid and Coker to slam in his strike from close range.
However, Rangers pulled a goal back in the 45th minute to reduce the deficit 2-1 when a pass into the area by midfielder Dwane James was knocked down and hammered past goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel by winger Tyrone Charles following a dominating half by Caledonia.
Caledonia, now with 26 points, eventually held on for full points which saw the Morvant/Laventille club creep to within six points of leader Defence Force (32 points).
But numerous unconverted chances by Caledonia in the first half could have cost the Jerry Moe-coached Caledonia against a courageous Rangers' second half.
After providing the penalty and registering an item moments later, Caesar was dangerous again in the 23rd minute when he played in Sherron Joseph and the skilful Caledonia midfielder unleashed a low effort which Coker tamed.
And, a minute later, Caesar had an effort charged down by Coker, and the follow-up effort sliced harmlessly by the Caledonia forward for the Rangers custodian to make a comfortable gather.
Caledonia went close again in the 31st minute when defender Audrey David headed a Miguel Alejandro Romeo corner from the left, inches wide of the Rangers' upright. Then in the 38th minute Caledonia's holding midfielder and captain Stephan David chipped in with an effort from outside the area to force another save out of Coker.
The most miserable effort came in the second period, when in the 64th minute midfielder Akim Armstrong blasted a volley off target with the goal at his mercy from the edge of the six-yard area from a cross-ball.
Meanwhile, Rangers enjoyed forcing the Morvant/Laventille club back on a number of occasions but continuously failed in the final third of the field.
Apart from Charles 45th-minute item, Rangers had an earlier effort in the 33rd minute from the goalscorer who was denied by the legs of goalkeeper Samuel after teaming up with James just inside the left of the area.
And in the 39th minute, attacker Devon Modeste smashed an effort into the side netting after he was unleashed by midfielder Muhammad Nakid.
In the end Rangers remained slouched in seventh position with just nine points from 12 games.
The other match on the night saw reigning champion W Connection also remain alive in the competition with a narrow 1-0 victory over Central FC, in a rescheduled match from round one, match-day one.
Joevin Jones, the most energetic player on the park for W Connection secured the win with a goal in the 69th minute. With the match in hand out of the way, W Connection remains in third and ten points adrift from Defence Force, with both clubs having played 13 matches.
results
Wednesday
Caledonia 2 (Kareem Joseph 13th pen, Trevin Caesar 16th) v St Ann's Rangers 1 (Tyronne Charles 45th)
W Connection 1 (Joevin Jones 69th) v Central FC 0
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Defence Force 13 10 2 1 39 15 32
Caledonia AIA 13 8 2 3 37 19 26
W Connection 13 6 4 3 22 13 22
North East Stars 12 5 5 2 17 11 20
Central FC 12 4 3 5 15 21 15
Police FC 12 2 4 6 12 19 10
St Ann's Rangers 12 2 3 7 14 28 9
T&TEC 13 1 1 11 9 39 4
