DirecTV W Connection stretched its lead to eight point at the top of the Digicel Pro League standings on Saturday, when the team edged cross-town rival Central FC 1-0, at the Ato Boldon Stadium on Saturday.
Substitute Stefano Rijssel's 78th minute item separated Connection from Central, in the Couva derby, while defending league champion Defence Force made upward movement, jumping from seventh to fourth on the standings with nine points, following a 3-1 come-from-behind win over Point Fortin Civic at Mahaica Oval, Point Fortin.
Bevon Bass fired Point Fortin ahead in the 29th minute. However, the home side failed to defend its advantage, when in the 36th minute Richard Roy levelled the scores, in what was the beginning of a Defence Force comeback.
The soldiers went on to find the back of the net twice in the second half, with a 70th minute item by Devorn Jorsling and Kerry Joseph in the 87th minute, ending a three match league winless streak, while Civic continued onto a three-match league slide.
As for the leader, W Connection, the Stuart Charles Fevrier-coached Savonnetta Boys are seamless with maximum 18 points from six matches after the end of Round One Match Day Seven. The club is now on an overall record of 11 straight wins in all competitions.
Meanwhile, North East Stars, 1-0 winner over San Juan Jabloteh, and Police FC, a 2-0 victor over bottom of the table St Ann's Rangers (three points), occupies second and third, respectively, with 10 points each.
Behind them is Defence Force in fourth, ahead of fifth positioned Point Fortin (nine points) only by a better goal difference.
Connection forward Rijssel, returning for the first time following a lengthy layoff due to injury, replaced Colombian midfielder Yefer Lozano at the start of the second period,and later broke the deadlock in the 78th minute when he smashed a strike past goalkeeper Jan Michael Williams for the 1-0 final scoreline.
Williams, a former Connection stalwart, had little chance after a poor clearance by his defence allowed Rijssel to pick up inside the area after he and his attacking teammates toyed the Central defence.
Rijssel and company added salt to Central's wound, by parking their celebrations in front of coach Terry Fenwick's technical area.
Rijssel's return to the pitch also saw him combine with Hashim Arcia in the 51st minute when the latter guided an effort just high of the crossbar.
The Surinamese footballer later unleashed a strike from 35 yards out in the 61st minute and only missed the far upright by inches.
Central also had a close effort, when in only the sixth minute of play midfielder Jason Marcano's strike from 22 yards out, sizzled just outside the far upright.
And, it took until the 64th minute for the Sharks next best opening but substitute forward Dwight Quintero tamed an effort into the gloves of Julani Archibald after an attempted strike towards goal by teammate Darren Mitchell rolled into his path.
At the final whistle Connection, which was denied a goal in the 15th minute for offside, after Neil Benjamin Jr potted the ball off the far upright and into the net following a neat string of pass, celebrated a win over the team that defeated them 3-2 on penalties in the semi-final round of the First Citizens Cup two months ago.
Digicel Pro League Results
Friday
Police FC 2 (Joel Kevin Lewis 27th, Karlon Murray 35th) v St Ann's Rangers 0
San Juan Jabloteh 1 (Kennedy Hinkson 89th) v North East Stars 0
Saturday
Defence Force 3 (Richard Roy 36th, Devorn Jorsling 70th, Kerry Joseph 87th) v Point Fortin Civic FC 1 (Bevon Bass 29th)
W Connection 1 (Stefano Rijssel 78th) v Central FC 0
Standings
Teams Pld W D L F A Pts
W Connection 6 6 0 0 16 2 18
North East Stars 6 3 1 2 8 5 10
Police FC 7 3 1 3 13 11 10
Defence Force 6 3 0 3 12 13 9
Point Fortin Civic 7 3 0 4 8 12 9
Caledonia AIA 6 2 2 2 13 9 8
Central FC 6 2 2 2 8 7 8
San Juan Jabloteh 6 2 0 4 14 18 6
St Ann's Rangers 6 1 0 5 9 24 3
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