Pro League results: ‘Pappy’ helps Civic to third, Sam keeps ‘Army’ on title course

A solitary strike by Point Fortin Civic playmaker Tyrel ‘Pappy’ Emmanuel kept the southern outfit chasing a team record yesterday as they edged Morvant Caledonia United 1-0 at the Mahaica Oval.

It was only Emmanuel’s third goal this season but each item was a match winner, as he also broke the ice against Cunupia FC and Police FC. And, more importantly, the result propelled Civic up two spots to third in the 11-team standings.

Civic have never finished higher than fourth in the Pro League, which they did under coach Reynold Carrington in the 2013/14 season with the likes of forward Marcus Joseph, defender Andre Ettienne and goalkeeper Marvin Phillip on their books. Their subsequent placings, though, were: fourth, fifth, eighth, tenth (last), seventh and eighth respectively.

Now, under the guidance of new head coach Dexter Cyrus and led on-field by the likes of Emmanuel, midfielder Judah Garcia and attackers Kerville Jeremiah and Daniel Diaz, Civic are four games away from a new record Pro League placement—if they can hold off the chasing pack of W Connection FC, Caledonia, Police FC and Tiger Tanks Club Sando.

At the front of the standings, Defence Force FC continued their own procession towards the Pro League title this weekend as they whipped Police FC 4-1 at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.

The Army/Coast Guard combination were virtually out of sight after just five minutes as midfielder Aaron Lester and forward Brent Sam scored once each in the third and fourth minutes respectively.

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Dwight Quintero extended Defence Force’s lead to three goals by the interval and, although Police defender Elijah Belgrave pulled one back with a 56th minute item, Sam ended all hope of a revival with his second goal in the 59th minute.

Defence Force, coached by Lloyd Andrews, lead second placed Terminix La Horquetta Rangers by nine points and a win and a draw from their next two outings against Club Sando and Morvant Caledonia respectively will assure them of their fourth Pro League title by the weekend.

The ‘Teteron Boys’ lifted the inaugural Pro League crown in 1999. If the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) gets its proposed three-tiered league off the ground in mid-June as promised, Sam and company might have helped Defence Force to win the last TTPL title as well.

Pro League results

(Friday 6 March)

W Connection 2 (Isaiah Hudson 42, Jem Gordon 65), AC Port of Spain 0 at Ato Boldon Stadium;

(Saturday 7 March)

Point Fortin Civic 1 (Tyrel Emmanuel 41), M’vt Caledonia Utd 0 at Mahaica Oval;

(Sunday 8 March)

Club Sando 0, Terminix La Horquetta Rangers 1 (Ross Russell Jr 82) at Larry Gomes Stadium;

Central FC 1 (Ché Benny 40 pen), Cunupia FC 1 (Xavier Rajpaul 54 pen) at Ato Boldon Stadium;

Defence Force 4 (Aaron Lester 3, Brent Sam 4, 59, Dwight Quintero 36), Police FC 1 (Elijah Belgrave 56) at Ato Boldon Stadium.

Upcoming fixtures

(Tuesday 10 March)

AC Port of Spain vs San Juan Jabloteh, 6pm, Hasely Crawford Stadium;

(Wednesday 11 March)

Central FC vs Point Fortin Civic, 6pm, Phase 2, La Horquetta;

Terminix La Horquetta Rangers vs M’vt Caledonia, 8pm, Phase 2, La Horquetta;

W Connection vs Cunupia FC, 6pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;

Defence Force vs Club Sando, 6pm, Hasely Crawford Stadium.