Kevin Molino, the reigning T&T Football Association ‘Senior Men’s Player of the Year’, was among the goals as defending champions Defence Force Elite whipped San Juan Jabloteh 3-1 to move two points clear at the top of the T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) Tier I standings on Sunday.
Playing in the second match of a double-header at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva, Defence Force, 3-1 winners against the same Jabloteh line-up a week ago, found the going tough and was held scoreless for the first 45 minutes.
However, two minutes after the restart, former European-based defender Sheldon Bateau opened the scoring for the ‘Teteron Men’ before Tyrese Bailey quickly doubled the lead in the 55th minute.
Despite falling two goals behind, the youthful Jabloteh line-up did not drop their heads and got back into the contest via former Defence Force striker Isaiah Leacock, who scored in the 58th minute, his second goal in as many matches against his former employers.
But that was as close as Jabloteh would get, as Molino then restored Defence Force’s two-goal cushion in the 77th minute, after which they held on for the win to stretch their unbeaten domestic run to 36 matches, dating back to the start of the 2024/2025 season, in which they did the Tier I League and the First Citizens Knockout Cup double under former coach Densil Theobold.
With the win, their ninth in 11 matches, the Devon Jorsling-coached Defence Force moved to the top of the 12-club standings with 29 points from 11 matches, two more than the Angus Eve-coached Club Sando, who have played a match more, followed by Miscellaneous Police under the guidance of first-year head coach Todd Ryan with 26 points from 12 matches.
In Sunday’s opener at Couva, former champions Athletic Club Port-of-Spain also won 3-1 over Central FC Reboot.
Teenager Seth Hadeed opened the scoring in the 18th minute for AC PoS, and Nathan Lewis extended the margin seven minutes later, before Central FC Reboot got a goal back through Kadeem Corbin in the 31st for a 2-1 half-time score.
In the second half, the contest remained a tight affair until Joshua Miguel fired in the insurance item for AC PoS on the stroke of full-time as they solidified their hold on the fifth spot with 19 points, six behind fourth-placed Prisons FC.
T&TPFL Tier I results
Sunday
AC Port-of-Spain 3 (Seth Hadeed 18th, Nathan Lewis 25th, Joshua Miguel 90+1) vs MIC Central FC Reboot 1 (Kadeem Corbin 31st)
Defence Force Elite 3 (Sheldon Bateau 47th, Tyrese Bailey 55th, Kevin Molino 77th) vs San Juan Jabloteh 1 (Isaiah Leacock 58th)
Saturday
TLH Rangers 2 (Kevon Woodley 66th pen, Kesean St Rose 89th) vs Miscellaneous Police 2 (Mickaeel Jem Gordon 9th, Xavier Rajpaul 76th)
Prison Service FC 3 (Kyron Williams 12th, 81st, Jalen Bristol 45th) vs Point Fortin Civic 1 (Ezekiel Kesar 51st)
Friday
Club Sando 6 (Tarik Lee 5th, Luke Phillip 27th, Real Gill 36th, Jaheim Joseph 55th, Shervohnez Hamilton 58th, Shackiel Henry 71st) cs 1976 FC Phoenix 0
Caledonia AIA 3 vs FC Eagles 0 - by default
Teams*P*W*L*D*GF*GA*GD*Pts
1. Defence Force*11*9*0*2*27*10*17*29
2. Club Sando FC*12*9*3*0*32*7*25*27
3. Miscellanous Police FC*12*8*2*2*26*13*13*26
4. Prisons Service FC*12*8*3*1*21*11*10*25
5. AC PoS*12*5*3*4*18*16*2*19
6. Central FC Reboot*11*5*4*2*19*22*-3*17
7. Caledonia AIA*11*4*6*1*23*22*1*13
8. Jabloteh*12*3*6*3*18*27*-9*12
9. FC Eagles*12*3*8*1*18*24*-6*10
10. TLH Rangers*12*2*7*3*11*26*-15*9
11. Point Fortin Civic*12*2*9*1*10*27*-17*7
12. 1976 FC Phoenix*11*2*9*0*12*30*-18*6
Upcoming matches
Friday, January 16
Venue: La Horquetta Rec. Grd, Phase II La Horquetta:
FC Eagles vs San Juan Jabloteh, 6 pm
Miscellaneous Police FC vs Prison Service FC, 8 pm
Saturday, January 17
Venue: Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet:
1976 FC Phoenix vs Caledonia AIA, 5 pm
Defence Force Elite vs MIC Central FC Reboot, 7 pm
Sunday, January 18
Venue: Mahaica Sporting Complex, Point Fortin:
Athletic Club PoS vs TLH Rangers, 5 pm
Point Fortin Civic vs Club Sando, 7 pm
