In-form striker Jerrel Britto got the lone goal as defending DirecTV Digicel T&T Pro League champions fought out a 1-0 win over a determined Play Whe San Juan Jabloteh at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva on Friday night to close the gap on leaders Central FC to two points.
Both W Connection and Jabloteh had many chances to take control of the contest, however their efforts were all thwarted by excellent goalkeeping on either end, from Julani Archibald (W Connection) and Jabloteh teenager, Aaron Enil, standing in goal for the injured Shane Mattis.
However, with nine minutes left on the clock, Enil was left a spectator as he was beaten by former national youth and Jabloteh player, Britto who moved to ten goals at the top of the scorers' chart.
With the three points picked up, W Connection improved to 33 points from 16 matches, two adrift of leaders Central FC, winners of this season's First Citizens Cup and Rawle Fletcher (Round One) and Akkem Adams (Round Two) Trophies, already this season, with eight matches left to complete league competition.
Up at the Marvin Lee Stadium, out-of-favour national striker Devorn Jorsling impressed on a rare start this season, netting a first-half hat-trick and assisting on two other goals to steer Defence Force past cellar placed St Ann's Rangers, 7-0.
Jorsling, 31, opened the scoring in the seventh minute and doubled his tally by the 19th minute before completing his hat-trick six minutes before the half, to push his tally for the season to ten, the same as Britto.
His treble was interrupted by a Ross Russell Jr. goal in the 35th minute while in the second-half, he turned provider for Russell Jr's second on the night in the 52nd.
Substitute Kellon Serrette made it 6-0 in the 69th minute while Jorsling got his second assist on the night when he put through, another substitute, Josimar Belgrave to score in the 84th minute for a 7-0 thumping and back up to third spot with 26 points, the same as North East Stars, but with a superior goal-difference. In the second match at Couva, Stars missed out on a chance to stay third after it slumped to a surprise 1-0 loss to second from bottom Caledonia AIA with Guyanese forward Domini Garnett, coming off the bench in the 80th minute to find the back of the net four minutes later.
Garnette was on spot to hit home after a spill by goalkeeper Stefan Berkeley who failed to hold onto a left side Nathan Lewis cross. And in the second match at Macoya, Marcus Joseph got a late brace as Pt Fortin Civic whipped Police 3-1 for its fifth win in six matches under interim coach Leroy De Leon.
Pt Fortin went ahead in the 26th minute through winger Akeem Redhead courtesy a Joseph assist but two minutes later the Police captain Todd Ryan equalised from the penalty spot fowing a handball in the area by Andre Ettienne. Joseph restored his team's slim lead in the 72nd and with five minutes left he got a second for a 3-1 cushion which his team held onto. The match ended on a sour note though as a stoppage time brawl erupted on the field of play, and somehow transferred into the stands and lasted for a while.
Results
Friday's Digicel T&T Pro League results:
Caledonia AIA 1 (Domini Garnett 84th) vs North East Stars 0
W Connection 1 (Jerrel Britto 81st) vs San Juan Jabloteh 0
D/Force 7 (Devorn Jorsling 7th, 19th, 39th, Ross Russell Jr 35th, 53rd, Kellon Serette 69th, Josimar Belgrave 84th) vs Rangers 0
Pt Fortin Civic 3 (Akeem Redhead 26th, Marcus Joseph 72th, 85th) vs Police FC 1 (Todd Ryan 28th pen)
Standings
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Central 16 11 2 3 40 13 35
W Connection 16 10 3 3 32 11 33
D/Force 16 8 2 6 29 21 26
N/E Stars 16 8 2 6 16 14 26
Pt Fortin 16 7 2 7 30 25 23
Jabloteh 16 6 5 5 23 23 23
Caledonia 16 5 4 7 23 28 19
Police 16 4 5 7 21 34 17
Rangers 16 0 1 15 11 56 1
Upcoming matches
March 3
Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya
St Ann's Rangers vs Central FC,
6 pm
North East Stars vs Defence Force, 8 pm
Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva
Police FC vs San Juan Jabloteh, 6 pm
Caledonia AIA vs Point Fortin Civic, 8 pm
Round Three Match Day Two
March 6
Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya
San Juan Jabloteh vs St Ann's Rangers, 6 pm
Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva
Defence Force vs Police FC, 6 pm
Central FC vs W Connection, 8 pm
Mahaica Oval, Point Fortin
Pt Fortin Civic vs North East Stars, 4 pm