Byers bags four in Central rout

Antigua and Barbuda international forward Peter Byers ensured Central FC two feats on the night, its highest margin of victory since joining the league and the highest individual tally by a player, when he scored a beaver trick to see the club to a 5-0 whipping of T&TEC, in the Digicel TT Pro League, on Saturday.

The venue for the night’s double-header was the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya, where North East Stars, courtesy of an added time converted penalty from T&T striker Cornell Glen, secured a 2-2 draw against Police FC.

The results ultimately saw the gap between Central FC, the fifth-placed team in the eight-team table, extend to 11 points over sixth-placed Police.

Glen, who recently earned a recall to the T&T squad, continued his impressive run when he went within one effort of the league’s top scorer Devorn Jorsling, on 14 goals for the season. The goal came at a crucial time, within the final minute of play, at which point Police FC looked en route to seal a big win after skipper Todd Ryan scored a brace in the final 10 minutes. His double cancelled out young, talented winger Marcus Gomez’s goal for North East Stars on the hour mark.

Then, closing off the round, Byers’ beaver trick, in addition to the 55th minute strike from seasoned midfielder Marvin Oliver, added to T&TEC’s woes, in the latter team’s 13th loss in 17 league fixtures.

Neither of the two fixtures had any impact on the title chase, currently spearheaded by Defence Force and Neal & Massy Caledonia. A night prior, however, Caledonia AIA kept in the chase and within four points of the title-favourite “Teteron Boys” when the two teams played to a goalless stalemate. The night’s other fixture saw DirecTV W Connection record a 3-0 victory over St Ann’s Rangers, ultimately spoiling a debut for Jan Michael Williams, T&T’s first choice custodian. Williams recently parted ways with “Savonetta Boys” and was out of action for a short time before being picked up in a surprise move by the second-from-bottom club, Rangers. 

Only four rounds of matches remain to be played.

Results
 

Saturday
Central FC 5 (Peter Byers 41st, 59th, 80th, 86th, Marvin Oliver 55th) v T&TEC 0
North East Stars 2 (Marcus Gomez 60st, Cornell Glen 90th+) v Police FC 2 (Todd Ryan 80th pen, 82nd)

Friday
W Connection 3 (Clyde Leon 20th, Joevin Jones 48th, Stefano Rijssel 75th) v St Ann’s Rangers 0
Caledonia AIA 0 v Defence Force 0

Standings
Teams    Pld    W    D    L    F    A    Pts
D/Force    17    11    4    2    43    17    37
Caledonia    17    10    3    4    43    24    33
W Connection    17    8    5    4    32    18    29
N/E Stars    17    7    7    3    24    16    28
Central FC    17    7    5    5    28    26    26
Police FC    17    3    6    8    24    33    15
Rangers    17    2    4    11    19    43    10
T&TEC    17    2    2    13    12    48    8​