Morvant Caledonia United became the latest victim of title-chasing W Connection last night at the Hasely Crawford Stadium training ground, which welcomed for the first time in its history, floodlights.
Second half goals by Jamal Charles, Jelani Peters and Hughtun Hector ensured Connection were comfortable 3-0 winners over Morvant Caledonia to celebrate a fifth straight win.
The result put the Digicel Pro League 2016-17 leaders at 40 points, five points more than rivals and second-positioned Central FC, which have two games in hand against Point Fortin Civic and Defence Force.
Two-time reigning champions Central FC was carded to meet Pt Fortin Civic in a 3.30pm encounter at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, yesterday, but the team from "Deep South" arrived at the venue at 4pm, citing transportation troubles, and with the lighting system at the venue not in operation the match was called off.
The decision on the encounter is expected to be determined by the Pro League's Disciplinary Committee at a date to be decided following a submission of a report by match officials, while Central FC will return to action against Defence Force on Tuesday from 6pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva in a re-scheduled contest.
Down at Mucurapo, under a very heavy and consistent downpour of rain,
Minister of Sport, Darryl Smith, and a brigade of other ministry officials including MP for Laventille West, Fitzgerald Hinds, and Sport Company of T&T (SPORTT) chairman Michael Phillips, and officials from the T&T Electricity Commission were all on hand for the commissioning of the floodlights at the Mucurapo Training Ground.
The first-half failed to produce any goals with Neil Benjamin Jr of W Connection guiding his team's best chance overbar, and on the other end lively Morvant Caledonia's Guyanese teenager Kelsey Benjamin curl an effort t just wide.
However, five minutes after the restart W Connection finally broke the deadlock with a cleaver flick with the outside of his boot from Charles off a Dimitrie Apai cross, which caught goalkeeper Kern Caesar by surprise for his league high tenth of the campaign, one more than Defence Force's Devorn Jorsling.
Two minutes later the "Savonetta Boys" doubled their advantage with defender Peters heading home a well taken free-kick from substitute Shaquille John.
A former national youth team member, Caesar then roduced a wonderful save to deny Charles a second on the night, but substitute Hector then wrapped up all three points for the Couva-based club made just after two minutes of his introduction when he latched onto a pass from veteran utility player Andre Toussaint and fired past Caesar.
Morvant/Caledonia's best chance of the contest came with ten minutes left when Dylon King hammered a strike onto the near upright, while at the other end of the field Charles of Grenada was also denied five minutes from time when his powerful drive was cleared off the line by a defender.
To conclude the season, Central FC has three matches left to play (Defence Force, St Ann's Rangers, San Juan Jabloteh) while W Connection has two regular left to play against Jabloteh, and Ma Pau Stars.
Also on Friday night at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, San Juan Jabloteh and Ma Pau Stars got wins over St Ann's Rangers and Defence Force respectively.
Third placed Jabloteh warmed up for its Caribbean Football Union Club Championship campaign in March with a 5-0 mauling of Rangers led by a doube from national winger Nathan Lewis to strengthen its hold on third spot with 29 points while Ma Pau Stars got a goal from veteran strikers, Kerry Baptiste and Jason Scotland in a 2-0 blanking of Defence Force to stay fourth on 25 points.
Today, Police and Club Sando, sixth and seventh on the table and separated by two points clash at Malabar from 3.30pm.
Yesterday
Central FC vs Pt Fortin Civic - Did Not Play (Pt Fortin arrived late)
Friday
Jabloteh 5 (Jamal Gay 10th, Keon Edwards 28th, Nathan Lewis 37th, 68th, Aaquil Campbell 89th) vs St Ann's Rangers 0
Ma Pau Stars 2 (Kerry Baptiste 56th, Jason Scotland 82nd) vs Defence Force 0
W Connection 3 (Jamal Charles 50th, Jelani Peters 52nd, Hughtun Hector 82nd) vs Morvant Caledonia Utd 0
Latest T&T Pro League standingsTeams P W D L F A Pts
1. W Connection 16 13 1 2 47 13 40
2. Central 14 11 2 1 29 13 35
3. Jabloteh 16 9 2 5 32 21 29
4. Ma Pau Stars 16 7 4 5 31 27 25
5. Defence Force 15 6 2 7 22 25 20
6. Club Sando 15 5 3 7 23 27 18
7. Police FC 15 4 4 7 30 29 16
8. St Ann's Rangers 16 4 4 8 30 34 16
9. Morvant/Caledonia 16 2 5 9 18 29 11
10. Pt Fortin Civic 15 1 3 11 15 53 6
Upcoming T&T Pro League matchesToday
Police FC vs Club Sando, Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, 3.30 pm
Tuesday
Defence Force vs Central FC, Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, 6.00 pm