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Digicel T&T Pro League record all-time scorer Kerry Baptiste registered a hat-trick and two assists to steer Play Whe San Juan Jabloteh to a comfortable 5-0 win over cellar-placed St Ann's Rangers on Sunday in the first match of a double-header at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.
The win, only its third of the season from 10 matches, lifted Jabloteh to 13 points and fifth spot, four behind the trio of defending champion DirecTV W Connection, Japs North East Stars and Defence Force, who all trail leaders Central FC (23 points).
Jamaican midfielder Fabian Reid opened the scoring for Jabloteh in the third minute with a simple strike past goalkeeper Christopher Biggette, following a quick exchange with Baptiste.
Biggette was tested three more times by Jabloteh and did well enough to keep out the efforts placed directly at him by Jevon Morris, Jamaican forward Newton Sterling and Johan Peltier.
In the 32nd minute, Baptiste celebrated his first goal of the match, placing the ball out of Biggette's reach and into the far netting for a 2-0 Jabloteh cushion.
Sterling then made it 3-0 on the 41st minute with a volley off a pass by midfielder Baptiste that was lifted into the six yard area. Baptiste, snatched his second on the 59th minute after controlling a Peltier cross at the edge of the six yard box and striking past a defender and goalkeeper Biggette for a 4-0 score.
A minute before the end, Baptiste, who scored the lone item in his team's 1-0 win over Rangers in round one, completed his hat-trick by lobbing Biggette from just inside the area off a pass by substitute Shaquille Bertrand.
Baptiste's hat-trick carried his goal tally for the season to six. He is tied with Caledonia AIA's Purnell Schultz and Central FC's Ataulla Guerra at the top. He has 128 goals on the all-time Pro League leaders' list, nine ahead of Defence Force's Devorn Jorsling, who has netted four times this season so far.
In the ill-tempered second match, Defence Force which finished the contest with 10 men, missed a chance to take sole command of second spot after a 1-1 draw with Police. Two players were ejected from the match.
Roy, who had spilled wide with goalkeeper Adrian Foncette at his mercy in the 19th minute, thumped the ball with immense power from the penalty-spot to make up for his earlier missed chance, finding the back of the Police net on the stroke of half-time.
Referee Gyasi Mc Donald had disallowed an initial open play goal, calling a foul against Police midfielder Kareem Perry. Defence Force was awarded a penalty after Perry was sent off with a direct red card for pulling down Josimar Belgrave inside the area.
Defence Force were also reduced to 10 men midway through the second half. Defender Curtis Gonzales was shown his second booking from Mc Donald for a foul on substitute Dexter Alleyne.
But Mc Donald wasn't done showing red yet as in the 77th minute he sent Police defender Karlon Murray for an early shower with his second yellow for a handled ball.
Two minutes later, Noel Williams–assisted by a Kaaron Foster pass on the left–snatched the equaliser with a powerful low strike from an acute angle that proved too hot for goalkeeper Sheldon Clarke as it entered at the near post off the gloves.
Each side had a couple of late tries following Williams' equaliser, but the 1-1 scoreline stood at the final whistle.
Today at Couva, North East Stars go head to head with W Connection from 6 pm before Caledonia AIA meets leader Central FC from 8 pm.
Pt Fortin Civic will kick off the day when they host San Juan Jabloteh from 3.30 pm at the Mahaica Oval, and Police FC will also boast home advantage when they welcome St Ann's Rangers from 6 pm at the St James Barracks, Long Circular Road, St James.
sunday's results
Jabloteh 5 (Fabian Reid 3rd, Kerry Baptiste 32nd, 59th, 89th, Newton Sterling 41st) vs Rangers 0
Police 1 (Noel Williams 79th) vs Defence Force 1 (Richard Roy 45th)
Current standings
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Central FC 10 7 2 1 28 8 23
W Connection 9 5 2 2 20 6 17
North East Stars 10 5 2 3 9 6 17
Defence Force 10 5 2 3 16 14 17
Jabloteh 10 3 4 3 14 15 13
Pt Fortin Civic 10 3 2 5 18 18 11
Caledonia 9 3 2 4 15 19 11
Police 10 2 5 3 13 20 11
Rangers 10 0 1 9 7 33 1
upcoming matches
Round Two Match Day Three
Today
Mahaica Oval, Point Fortin
Point Fortin Civic vs San Juan Jabloteh, 3.30 pm
St James Barracks, St James
Police vs St Ann's Rangers, 4pm
Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya,
North East Stars vs W Connection 7pm.
Wednesday
Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva
Caledonia vs Central FC 6pm
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