Petrotrin Palo Seco and Bethel United moved into a joint two-way tie for the lead at the top of the revamped 15-team National Super Football League Premier Division after picking up their second win from as many matches on Sunday. Both have amassed a maximum of six points.
Coming off a hard fought 2�1 win over Defence Force in its opener, nine days ago, Petrotrin Palo Seco recorded a much more convincing 3�1 whipping of fellow southerners, Siparia Spurs at Palo Seco Municipal Stadium.The match was all over before the half-time whistle as Marvin Mark (11th), Brent Garcia (30th) and Corey Cyrus (42nd), the latter of whom also scored in the first round, netted a goal each for the comfortable lead.
Petrotrin Palo Seco failed to add to its tally in the second-half, while at the other end of the field, Spurs pulled a goal back through the prolific Andy London on the hour mark.However, that was as close as they got as Petrotrin Palo Seco stood firm to pick up victory number and the table lead from Bethel on goal-difference.
Further south, at Guaya Recreation Ground, visiting Bethel United registered another 1�0 win, this time over Guaya United thanks to Vernon Wilson 42nd minute strike, three minutes earlier than his winner in round one against Stokely Vale.
Up at the WASA Ground, St Joseph, round one leaders WASA, which clobbered FC Santa Rosa 6�1, was brought crashing back down to earth in a 1�0 loss to Police FC with the lone goal coming off the boot of Real Didier, eight minutes from full-time.The lawmen moved into third spot on four points, level with 1976 FC Phoenix, which also won 1�0 against Stokely Vale via Dominic Mc Dougall's 11th minute goal at Plymouth Recreation Ground.
The biggest winners on the day were newcomers, Marabella Family Crisis Centre, which thrashed FC Santa Rosa 6�2 at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, led by a Kevin Modie hat-trick.
Modie opened the scoring as early as the fourth minute and added second-half tallies in the 54th and 56th for the winner, which also got help from its opposition which conceded an own goal in the 35th to add to other strikes from ex-national youth player Juma Clarenece (38th) and Renford Martin (77th).
Down at the Youth Camp Ground, Macqueripe, Chaguaramas, Aaron Lester's 79th decisive goal earned Defence Force an entertaining 3�2 win over Real Maracas.Dexter Thornhill put the "Teteron Boys" ahead in the 14th minute and Josimar Belgrave doubled the advantage in the 32nd before Dillon Bartholomew cut the lead in the 41st.
Bartholomew then silenced the host by drawing his team level in the 75th, but that joy was short-lived as Lester banged home the winner four minutes later.And in the day's other contest, Joel Hoyte's 44th item denied defending champions Club Sando Moruga a winning start, as it battled to a 1�1 draw with Matura Reunited at Matura Recreation Ground.
Marcus John had given Club Sando a 28th minute lead.The third round of matches will take place on Sunday, August 2, with Petrotin Palo Seco away to National Lotteries Control Board La Horquetta SA at Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabara, from 4 pm, and Bethel United on the road against fellow Tobago club, 1976 FC Phoenix at Canaan Ground, Bon Accord, at 5 pm.
Results
Sunday, July 26:
Matura Reunited 1 (Joel Hoyte 44th) vs Club Sando Moruga 1 (Marcus John 28th)
Defence Force 3 (Dexter Thornhill 14th, Josimar Belgrave 32nd, Aaron Lester 79th) vs Real Maracas 2 (Dillon Bartholomew 41st, 75th)
Bethel United 1 (Vernon Wilson 42nd) vs Guaya United FC 0
Petrotrin Palo Seco 3 (Marvin Mark 11th, Brent Garcia 30th, Corey Cyrus 42nd) vs Siparia Spurs 1 (Andy London 60th)
Marabella Family CC 6 (Kevin Modie 4th, 54th, 56th, own goal 35th, Juma Clarance 38th, Renifiord Martin 77th) vs FC Santa Rosa 2
Police 1 (Real Didier 82nd) vs WASA FC 0
1976 FC Phoenix 1 (Dominic Mc Dougall 11th) vs Stokely Vale 0
Standings
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Petrotrin P/S 2 2 0 0 5 2 6
Bethel Utd 2 2 0 0 2 0 6
Police FC 2 1 1 0 3 2 4
Phoenix 2 1 1 0 1 0 4
WASA 2 1 0 1 6 2 3
Marabella Family 2 1 0 1 8 6 3
La Horquetta 1 1 0 0 2 0 3
Guaya Utd 2 1 0 1 4 3 3
Defence Force 2 1 0 1 4 4 3
Matura Reunited 2 0 2 0 1 1 2
Club Sando Moruga 1 0 1 0 1 1 1
Siparia Spurs 2 0 1 1 3 5 1
Stokely Vale 2 0 0 2 0 2 0
Real Maracas 2 0 0 2 2 5 0
FC Santa Rosa 2 0 0 2 3 12 0
Fixtures
Sunday, August 2:
Club Sando Moruga vs Stokely Vale FC, Lumsden Recreation Ground, Gasparillo, 4 pm
La Horquetta SA vs Petrotrin Palo Seco, Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, 4 pm
Matura Reunited vs Marabella Family Crisis Centre, North Eastern Recreation Ground, 4 pm
Defence Force vs Police FC, Youth Camp Ground, Macqueripe, Chaguaramas, 4 pm
Guaya United vs WASA FC, Guaya Recreation Ground, 4 pm
FC Santa Rosa vs Siparia Spurs, Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya, 4 pm
1976 Phoenix vs Bethel United, Canaan Ground, Bon Accord, 5 pm