National midfielder Ataulla Guerra scored a goal in each half as Central FC blanked Play Whe San Juan Jabloteh 3-0 to inch closer to a maiden Digicel T&T Pro League title at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya, on Tuesday night.
However, Guerra's double which carried his season tally to 13, and the team's win was overshadowed by the return of former England international Terry Fenwick as coach of the Central FC squad.
But the 55-year-old Fenwick, who was re-appointed the club's coach at the expense of new technical director Zoran Vranes, only had a brief stay on his team's bench for the match as he wasn't registered with the league–an administrative blunder by his own club.
Somehow though, he was able to occupy the technical area for just over 30 minutes before he was instructed by fourth official Rashby Mc Phie to leave the zone.
Still, at the end, he was in a happy mood as his team picked up three valuable points against his former employers Jabloteh, who had three players red carded by referee Crystal Sobers.
Early on, Jabloteh which won a second round meeting with its opponent 3-2 made all the running with Jamaican Newton Sterling coming close twice while team-mate Garth Thomas also had efforts kept out by goalkeeper alert Jan-Michael Williams.
With Fenwick conducting affairs from the car park area, adjacent to the main stand, Central FC took the lead in the 37th minute through a Guerra free-kick past Jamaican goalkeeper Shane Mattis.
This after the combative midfielder was brought down at the edge of the 18-yard box by defender Isaiah Mc Intyre.
Just before the break, Jabloteh came close to getting back on level terms, but Jamaican striker Fabian Reid could only guide a free-kick from countryman Damian Williams straight at the goalkeeper.
On the resumption, Jabloteh continued to put up a brave fight, until defender Jevon Morris picked up two yellow cards in a four minute span to reduce his team to ten men in the 57th.
The first card followed an elbow on Central's Jamal Jack, and then the second for a high challenge on Jason Marcano.
Seven minutes later, Reid was issued a straight red card for abusive language after his pleas for a foul fell on deaf ears, and in frustration he spoke out too loudly and not to Sobers' liking.
It took Central FC a while to take advantage of a its two-man numerical advantage as Jack fired past Mattis from inside the 18-yard box in the 77th minute.
Jabloteh's Caleb Sturge was red carded following the goal for abusive language as well as he felt he was fouled prior to the goal, and with six minutes left, Guerra added his second on the night and the team's third after a neat build-up of play with Willis Plaza.
The win carried Central FC to 49 points from 22 matches, six more than defending champions DirecTV W Connection, which saw its title-defence take a massive hit, in a disappointing 4-1 loss to former champions Defence Force in the second match at Macoya.
Needing to win to keep the preesure on the "Shark," W Connection found itself in a 0-2 hole inside the first ten minutes as an unmarked Defence Force striker Devorn Jorsling headed in at the far post while midfielder and new captain Jerwyn Balthazar connected with a Kerry Joseph free-kick past goalkeeper Julani Archibald to put the title-holder under pressure.
Four minutes before the half, Defence Force added to its tally with Jorsling firing in his league best 16th goal via volley from another Joseph feed, and into the back of the net.
However, seconds into time added on in the first-half, former Finland-based striker Shahdon Winchester provided some hope for the "Savonetta Boys" when he blasted in arebound after goalkeeper Sheldon Clarke parried Akeem Garcia's effort into his path.
There was no second-half revival for W Connection though as the "Teteron Boys" winger Jemel Sebro made it 4-1 in the 63rd minute from close range after some clever inter-passing by Balthazar and Aklie Edwards up the right flank.
W Connection continued to press forward and should have cut the elad in the 86th minute through substitute Jabari Mitchell, but his effort smashed against the under-side of the crossbar and back into play, while Aaquil Campbell blasted the rebound ovberbar.
Mitchell then headed overbar with the goal of his mercy in time added on from a Winchester feed, before his team was forced to end the match with ten men, following an injury to another second-half introduction, Aikim Andrews.
Central FC will now fancy its chances of claiming the title with matches left to play against Japs North East Stars and Pt Fortin Civic while W Connection comes up against Police F, Caledonia AIA and Jabloteh.
Down at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, Pt Fortin Civic defeated St Ann's Rangers 1-0 to join third placed Defence Force on 33 points from 21 matches each while Caledonia edged Police 1-0.
Results
Tuesday's Digicel Pro League:
n Central FC 3 (Ataulla Guerra 37th, 85th, Jamal Jack 77th) vs Jabloteh 0
n D/Force 4 (Devorn Jorsling 2nd, 41st, Jerwyn Balthazar 6th, Jemel Sebro 63rd) vs W Connection 1 (Shahdon Winchester 45'+2)
n Pt Fortin Civic 2 (Marcus Joseph 22nd', Weslie John 44th) vs St Ann's Rangers 1 (Sayid Freitas 14th)
n Caledonia AIA 1 (Purnell Schultz 86') vs Police FC 0
Current Digicel T&T Pro League standings:
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Central FC 22 15 4 3 56 16 49
W Connection 21 13 4 4 41 15 43
D/Force 21 10 3 8 40 27 33
Pt Fortin 21 10 3 8 41 31 33
N/East Stars 21 9 5 7 22 21 32
Jabloteh 21 7 6 8 28 36 27
Police 22 7 6 9 31 44 27
Caledonia 21 7 4 10 27 38 25
Rangers 22 0 1 21 18 76 1
Upcoming matches:
Sunday:
n Caledonia AIA vs Jabloteh, Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, 4 pm
n Defence Force vs Pt Fortin Civic, Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella,4 pm
April 28:
Venue: Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva:
n W Connection vs Police, 6pm
n Central FC vs North East Stars, 8pm
Top scorers:
16 - Devorn Jorsling (Defence Force)
14 - Marcus Joseph (Pt Fortin Civic)
13 - Ataulla Guerra (Central FC)
12 - Purnell Schultz (Caledonia)
11 - Jerrel Britto (W Connection)
9 - Marvin Oliver (Central FC)
8 - Kerry Baptiste (Jabloteh), Willis Plaza (Central FC), Jamille Boatswain (Pt Fortin)