Digicel T&T Pro League leaders' Central FC will be eager for a quick turn-around in fortunes when it comes up against a weakend Police FC at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, as matches in the Digicel T&T Pro League resumes this evening.
Currently, the three-year professional Couva-based Central FC heads the nine-team table with 42 points from 19 matches, five clear of defending champions DirecTV W Connection which has a match in hand and will also be in action today versus cellar-placed St Ann's Rangers,
However, both Central FC and W Connection will enter their respective 4pm matches in different moods.
This after W Connection, the current-T&T Football Federation FA Trophy holders and four-time winners, advanced to an eight final in club history at the expense of Central FC, 3-1 on penalty-kicks after a 2-2 draw in their semifinal at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella on Sunday.
But, Central is expected to be still high on confidence for its meeting with Police having won their two latest meetings, 5-0 in Round Two Pro League action and a most recent 2-0 FA quarterfinal win. This after the Lawmen won their Round One fixture 3-2.
And today, while Central FC coach is expected to have his full compliment of players to choose from, his opposite number Richard Hood will have to cope without Kaaron Foster, Noel Williams, Theon Browne, Jasimar Ashers and Shaquille Nesbitt, all of whom will start serving their respective suspensions for their involvement in a brawl which erupted mere minutes before the final whistle of a Round Two, Match Day Nine fixture against Pt Fortin Civic at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya, on Friday February 27.
Foster was slapped with a nine-match ban while team-mates Noel Williams and Theon Browne were hit with six match bans each, while Ashers and Nesbitt will serve two match bans. Police was also fined $15,000.
Pt Fortin trio, Garyl Doldron, Glen Sutton and Andre Ettienne, were suspended for two matches each, and the club fined $20,000.
At the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, W Connection boosted by reaching yet another FA final will be clear favourites to full points against Rangers which has swept aside 4-0 in both league meetings thus far.
Down at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, from 9pm, Japs North East Stars which is currently fourth with 30 points, the same as idle Pt Fortin Civic will come up against Play Whe San Juan Jabloteh for the second time in three days, having won their FA semifinal 2-1 on Sunday at Malabar.
Stars also won their Round Two league fixture by a similar 2-1 margin after Jabloteh eked out a 1-0 Round One win.
Two hours earlier at Mucurapo, stuttering clubs, Defence Force and Caledonia which split their two league meetings so far, clash.
Top scorers
13–Marcus Joseph (Pt Fortin)
11–Devorn Jorsling (Defence Force)
10–Jerrel Britto (W Connection), Ataulla Guerra
(Central FC)
9–Purnell Schultz (Caledonia)
8–Marvin Oliver, Willis Plaza (Central FC), Kerry Baptiste
(Jabloteh), Jamille Boatswain (Pt Fortin)
7–Richard Roy (Defence Force)
6–Todd Ryan (Police),
5–Jason Marcano (Central), Akeem Garcia, Neil Benjamin,
Neil Benjamin (W Connection),
4–Sean De Silva (Central), Akeem Redhead, Andre
Toussaint (Pt Fortin), Josimar Belgrave (Defence Force),
Newton Sterling (Jabloteh), Kennedy Isles (Rangers),
Keron Cummings (N/East Stars), Noel Williams, Kareem
Freitas, Makesi Lewis (Police)
Today's Matches
St Ann's Rangers vs W Connection, Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, 4 pm
Central FC vs Police, Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, 4 pm
Defence Force vs Caledonia, Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo,
7 pm
San Juan Jabloteh vs North East Stars, Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, 9 pm
Current Standings
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Central 19 13 3 3 48 14 42
W Connection 18 11 4 3 34 11 37
Pt Fortin 19 9 3 7 39 28 30
N/E Stars 19 9 3 7 20 19 30
D/Force 18 8 2 8 31 25 26
Jabloteh 19 7 5 7 27 32 26
Police 19 7 5 7 29 38 26
Caledonia 18 5 4 9 24 33 19
Rangers 19 0 1 18 16 68 1