ReUnited and it feels so good; Red-hot Vincent sends Matura top of Premiership table

There was a change at the top of the National Super League (NSL) Premiership Division on the weekend as Matura ReUnited jumped from fourth to first with a 2-1 win away to Marabella Family Crisis Centre at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium training field on Sunday.

Matura got goals either side of halftime from from Kitwana Abosi and Kerin Vincent, who notched his eight goal in five matches. The two items cancelled out a fourth minute strike by Marabella’s Devon Drayton and put Matura, who have 18 points, one point ahead of early pace-setters Sports & Games FC Santa Rosa.

Santa Rosa suffered a 1-0 defeat to Siparia Spurs at the Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya, just one week after the “Big Cannons” gunned down the 2015/16 Premiership winners Defence Force at the same venue.

On Sunday, it appeared that their missiles had been used up as Andy London’s 34th minute strike saw Siparia move up to ninth on the 14-team table. The southern team will have their own shot at the Army brigade when they entertain them at Irwin Park in Siparia on Sunday.

Although Matura took advantage of Santa Rosa’s slip up, Petrotrin Palo Seco and WASA FC were not as efficient as they both succumbed to defeats in tricky road fixtures.

Petrotrin showed little of the “Oil in de coil” spirit on their trip to Tobago, as they were beaten 3-1 by 1976 FC Phoenix at the Canaan Recreation Ground. Third in the Premiership last year, Phoenix wasted little time in getting down to business as Keston Agard opened the scoring in the very first minute. Shelton Williams and Akil Frank then scored in the 38th and 67th minutes respectively to give the hosts a healthy 3-0 nil lead.

The visiting Petrotrin could only muster an 82nd minute consolation through Rennefor Martin.

And WASA were left hurting after a 1-0 defeat away to Queen’s Park Cricket Club (QPCC). It was the only QPCC’s second win of the season, and Chike Phillip’s first half item helped the newly-promoted promoted club jump two places to 11th.

On the other hand, Petrotrin and WASA both dropped two places to go to fourth and fifth respectively.

Club Sando Moruga could hardly be bothered by the slips at the top of the table though, as they moved up to third spot with a with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Real Maracas FC.

The boys from Moruga trailed to an Aaron Peters goal at the halfway interval, but an incredible five-minute burst early in the second half dramatically tilted the game in their favour. Club Sando got goals from Nigel John, Kyle Morgan and Glendon Phillip in the 57th, 58th and 62nd minutes respectively to firmly put the hosts on the back foot.

Real Maracas coach Michael McComie may not be a happy camper these days as his 13th place team were not able to initiate a late comeback despite a 79th minute goal by the athletic Christian Thomas.

Elsewhere, Police FC jumped to seventh spot as they defeated Guaya United by a 2-nil margin. Guaya, affectionately called the “Green Army,” are yet to hit their stride in this Premiership season and currently sit tenth with just two wins to show from their nine games.

Dwayne Salazar and Jasimar Ashers got the goals for “Lawmen” who will hope to stamp their authority at the Arima Velodrome from 4pm on Sunday when they take on new leaders, Matura.

Defence Force did not see action on the weekend however, as their encounter against cellar-placed Bethel United was called off due to a waterlogged field at the Defence Force Headquarters.

NSL Championship Division Results

(Saturday 6 August)

Barrackpore United 0, UTT 1 (Stefon Pierre 39), Barrackpore Recreation Ground;

Saddle Hill Hotspur 0, Prisons FC 2 (Ricardo Alleyne 66, Roland Walcott Jr 90+2), Hasely Crawford Stadium training field;

Petit Valley/Diego Martin United 0, Cunupia FC 1 (Michael Yaw Darko 89), Diego Martin North Sec Sch;

Youth Stars 2 (Akinyel Rouse 88, Raoul Trotman 90), Central 500 Spartans 1 (Donovan Derrick 25), Cyd Gray Complex, Roxborough;

Carenage United were on a bye

NSL Premiership Division Results 

(Sunday 7 August)

Tobago 1976 FC Phoenix 3 (Keston Agard 1, Sheldon Williams 38, Akil Frank 67), Petrotrin Palo Seco 1 (Rennefor Martin 82), Canaan Recreation Ground;

Police FC 2 (Dwayne Salazar 60, Jasimar Ashers 63), Guaya United 0, St James Barracks;

Real Maracas FC 2 (Aaron Peters 38, Christian Thomas 79), Club Sando Moruga 3 (Nigel John 57, Kyle Morgan 58, Glendon Phillip 62), Maracas Valley Recreation Ground;

Sports & Games FC Santa Rosa 0, Siparia Spurs 1 (Andy London 34), Marvin Lee Stadium;

QPCC 1 (Chike Phillip 33), WASA FC 0, Hasely Crawford Stadium training field;

Marabella Family Crisis Centre 1 (Devon Drayton 4), Matura ReUnited 2 (Kitwana Abosi 19, Kerin Vincent 81), Mannie Ramjohn Stadium training field, Marabella;

Defence Force FC v Bethel United, DFHQ, Chaguaramas (Match called off due to waterlogged field);

NSL Championship Division Fixtures 

(Saturday 13 August)

Central 500 Spartans vs UTT, 7pm, Edinburgh 500 Recreation Ground;

Petit Valley/Diego Martin United vs Youth Stars, 4pm, Diego Martin North Sec Sch;

Prisons FC vs Barrackpore United, 4pm, YTC, Arouca;

Carenage United vs Saddle Hill Hotspur, (Time and venue to be determined);

Cunupia FC are on a bye

NSL Premiership Division Fixtures 

(Sunday 14 August)

Petrotrin Palo Seco vs Bethel United, 4pm, Palo Seco Velodrome;

WASA FC vs Tobago 1976 Phoenix, 4pm, WASA St Joseph;

Siparia Spurs vs Defence Force, 5pm, Irwin Park, Siparia;

Matura ReUnited vs Police FC, 4pm, Larry Gomes Stadium;

Guaya United vs Sports & Games FC Santa Rosa, 4:30pm, New Lands Grounds, Guaya;

Club Sando Moruga vs QPCC, 4pm, Grand Chemin Recreation Ground;

Real Maracas vs Marabella Family Crisis Centre, 4pm, Maracas Valley Recreation Ground.

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Roneil Walcott

Roneil Walcott is an avid sports fan and freelance reporter with a BA in Mass Communication from COSTAATT. Roneil is a former Harvard and St Mary’s College cricketer who once had lofty aspirations of bringing joy to sport fans with the West Indies team. Now, his mission is to keep them on the edge of their seats with sharp commentary from off the playing field.