Despite the threat of an early exit from Tier 1 of the T&T Premier Football League over the weekend, Prison Services FC continued its winning ways and maintained the top spot on the 12-team standings on nine points.
The win came courtesy of a solitary goal in the 72nd minute from Jeremiah Vidale in a 1-0 triumph over Club Sando at the Mahaica Sporting Complex in Point Fortin, making them now the only team with a 100 percent record of wins to date. Vidale, now one of the prison officers' key marksmen in a squad that comprises mostly civilians, has confined Club Sando to its first loss of the season. He also ensured they conceded their first goal of the tournament.
Coach Dexter Cyrus said after the match that he was pleased with the win in the midst of all that was happening.
“The win felt really good. It did a lot for the team and the organisation. We did not train for that week, so we did not perform as well as we wanted. However, we were still able to do well. We kept Club Sando at bay; they did not create many chances, but we did not capitalise on the opportunities that we created. I think on another day, the scoreline would have reflected some three or four goals more for us,” Cyrus said.
The win was not the only one of significance, as Defence Force Elite, the League defending champion team, edged Miscellaneous Police 1-0 at the Ken Cooke Ground, St James Barracks on Long Circular Road, for their first victory of the season, coming after three matches. Coincidentally, that win stopped the Lawmen from an unbeaten streak.
On Sunday, Defence Force Elite, even with the loss of more than four players to the national team ahead of the coming World Cup Qualifiers against Jamaica and Bermuda on November 13 and 18, respectively, managed to hold off the Lawmen by a similar margin, 1-0. The dependable Shaquille Bertrand got the lone item in the 37th minute.
Devorn Jorsling, the Defence Force coach, said he was satisfied with his boys' performance and the result, as they were able to dig out a victory in the Police backyard.
“You know, games like this are what make a team really strong. We came back home after Wednesday’s Concacaf Caribbean Cup semifinal match in Jamaica on Thursday, and we entered the game over the weekend. Against the Police, and without a few of our key players, it was a game of two halves. I think we were superb in the first, and we should have scored maybe two or three goals more in that half, but it didn’t happen,” said Jorslin.
“We knew that playing against Police at the Barracks was always going to be a difficult contest, and it was, but I thought the boys stuck together and dug deep to come away with the win. This win, to me, was much better than a 4-0 win, because it showed the character of the players. I can tell you now that the Defence Force is good now, and after all the dust is cleared, we will emerge as winners of the League for a second time."
Despite the loss, Club Sando is third on the standings, with MIC Central FC Reboot, which triumphed 3-2 over 1976 FC Phoenix, on a brace from Ross Russell Jr to secure the fourth position on six points.
RESULTS
Defence Force 1 (Shaquille Bertrand 37th) vs Police 0
Caledonia AIA 2 (Keron Cummings 45+3, Isaiah Vallenilla 84th) vs Rangers 0
AC Port-of-Spain 1 (Brent Sam 87th) vs FC Eagles 0
MIC Central FC 3 (Tyrone Charles 19th, Ross Russell Jr 31st, 77th) vs 1976 FC Phoenix 2 (Tee Jay Cadiz 28th, Ammari Alleyne 58th)
Prison Services FC 1 (Jeremiah Vidale 72nd) vs Club Sando 0
Point Fortin Civic 1 (Mark Ramdeen 74th) vs San Juan Jabloteh 1 (Andell Fraser 66th)
STANDINGS
Teams*P*W*L*D*F*A*GD*Pts
1. Prison Service FC*3*3*0*0*8*2*6*9
2. Miscellaneous Police FC*3*2*1*0*6*2*4*6
3. Club Sando FC*3*2*1*0*3*1*2*6
4. Central FC Reboot*3*2*1*0*6*5*1*6
5. Defence Force FC*3*1*0*2*3*2*1*5
6. Point Fortin Civic FC*3*1*1*1*4*4*0*4
7. Athletic Club POS*3*1*1*1*1*2*-1*4
8. San Juan Jabloteh*3*1*1*1*3*5*-2*4
9. Caledonia AIA*3*1*2*0*4*5*-1*3
10. FC Eagles*3*0*2*1*2*4*-2*1
11. La Horquetta Rangers*2*0*2*0*1*4*-3*0
12. 1976 FC Phoenix*2*0*2*0*2*7*-5*0
