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Sports and Games FC Santa Rosa continued their march towards the National Super League (NSL) Premiership Division title with a narrow 1-0 win over Club Sando Moruga at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya yesterday.
The “Big Cannons”, who have only lost two of their 18 league games so far this season, maintained their five point advantage over last season’s Premiership winners Defence Force courtesy a 53rd minute item by striker Rashad Griffith.
(Courtesy Nicholas Bhajan/Wired868)
The busy Griffith, who has netted 16 goals for Santa Rosa this season, also kept his team’s NSL Knockout hopes alive as he scored the opening item in a 2-1 win over UTT in quarterfinal action last Wednesday.
The Keith Look Loy-coached outfit will look to keep their hopes of an NSL double alive when they make the trek to Mt Pleasant to tackle Tobago unit Bethel United in the first semifinal this Wednesday.
The Tobagonians will feel good about their Knockout title aspirations though, as 1976 FC Phoenix square off against Police FC in the second semifinal.
The two Tobago teams know that league consistency is paramount too, and they both managed 3-1 wins on home soil yesterday evening.
At Canaan, Phoenix leapfrogged their opponents Real Maracas in the standings thanks to a double by Dominique Kerr.
Maracas playmaker Ryan “Fry” Stewart notched his 16 goal of the season to ensure that the teams went to the break deadlocked. But second half strikes by Kerr and LeJandro Williams gifted Phoenix all three points.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
At Mt Gomery Recreation Ground, Bethel jumped one spot up to 12th on the 14-team table with their 3-1 victory over Matura ReUnited. Goals by Rohan Sebro, Teejay Cadiz and “Beach Soca Warriors” striker Kevon “Showtime” Woodley handed Bethel their fifth league win of the season.
Showtime and company will hope they have saved enough ammunition for the imminent visit of the double-chasing Big Cannons in Knockout play on Wednesday afternoon.
One man who is certain to have a say in the NSL title run-in this season is veteran Defence Force striker Josimar Belgrave.
The former Pro league standout scored his 22nd goal of the season in a one-nil win over 2015/16 Championship winners Queen’s Park Cricket Club (QPCC) at St Mary’s Grounds in St Clair. And one can guarantee that he and the rest of the Army/ Coast Guard combination will not go down without a fight.
Last season’s Premiership victors still have eight games left to try and overturn the five-point gap which was fired open by the Big Cannons.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Elsewhere, in a mid-table tussle in the south land, the feisty Guaya United edged Petrotrin Palo Seco 4-3 in a seesaw thriller. At the end of the contest, only goal differential separated Petrotrin from Guaya in the standings and, fittingly enough, it took an injury time item by Akeel Paul to tell the two teams apart at New Lands Ground yesterday.
Petrotrin, who were coming off a 5-4 rollercoaster defeat to Siparia Spurs on the previous match day, stormed into a 2-0 first half lead but braces by Paul and Carlon “Judgment” Hughes tilted the duel in the “Green Army’s” favour.
Meanwhile at Irwin Park in Siparia, the rampant Siparia Spurs extended their unbeaten run to six games, as they whipped WASA FC 5-2. After scored 14 goals in their previous two matches, Spurs weren’t messing around as they racked up all of their five goals within the first half.
Andy London again showed his potency for the hosts, as his 25th and 36th minute strikes took his tally to 18 for the season. Only Defence Force’s Belgrave has scored more.
Bottom-placed club Marabella Family Crisis Centre could certainly use some of London’s and Siparia’s goals, as they have only managed 20 through their 18 league games. Yesterday, Police FC served them with a fourth minute own goal to help the cause, but strikes by Kenwin Matthew and veteran midfielder Trent Noel ensured that Marabella suffered their 14th league loss of the season.
(Courtesy Wired868)
Things could really hit a crisis stage for the cellar-placed club by the weekend, as they must make the trek to Macoya to take on the title-hungry Santa Rosa on Sunday. Hopefully for them, they will avoid becoming Cannon fodder.
NSL Championship Division Results
(Saturday 15 October)
Barrackpore United SC 1 (Renaldo Jack 20), Cunupia FC 2 (Gorean Highley 28, Michael Yaw Darko 90+2), Barrackpore Rec Grd;
Prisons FC 2 (Ricardo Alleyne 40, Mackanacky Rivers 76), Petit Valley/ Diego Martin FC 1 (Own Goal 62), YTC, Arouca;
Youth Stars 0, Saddle Hill Hotspur 1 (Hakeem King 52), Cyd Gray Complex, Roxborough;
Central 500 Spartans 3, Carenage United 0, Hugo Francis Rec Grd;
*–Central Spartans won by default;
UTT were on a Bye.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
NSL Premiership Division Results
(Sunday 16 October)
1976 FC Phoenix 3 (Dominique Kerr 37, 48, LeJandro Williams 85), Real Maracas 1 (Ryan Stewart 40), Canaan Rec Grd;
Sports and Games FC Santa Rosa 1 (Rashad Griffith 53), Club Sando Moruga 0, Marvin Lee Stadium;
Bethel United 3 (Rohan Sebro 10, Teejay Cadiz 20, Kevon Woodley 85), Matura Re United 1 (Kerin Vincent 44), Mt Gomery Rec Grd;
QPCC 0, Defence Force 1 (Josimar Belgrave 45), St Mary’s Grd;
Guaya United 4 (Carlon Hughes 30, 35, Akeel Paul 69, 90+2), Petrotrin Palo Seco 3 (Angus John 8, 47, Renefor Martin 24), New Lands Grd;
Police FC 2 (Trent Noel 10, Kenwin Matthew 70), Marabella Family Crisis Centre 1 (Own Goal 4), St James Barracks;
Siparia Spurs 5 (Marvin Seuradge 18, 31, Andy London 25, 36, Chris Collins 42), WASA FC 2 (Glen Walker 22, Keston Jordan 49), Irwin Park, Siparia;
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Upcoming fixtures
NSL Knockout Semifinals
(Wednesday 19 October)
Sports and Games FC Santa Rosa vs Bethel United, 5pm, Mt Pleasant, Tobago;
1976 FC Phoenix vs Police FC, 7:30pm, Mt Pleasant, Tobago;
(Courtesy Nicholas Bhajan/Wired868)
NSL Championship Division Fixtures
(Saturday 22 October)
Cunupia FC vs Youth Stars, 3:30pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;
Petit Valley/Diego Martin United FC vs Barrackpore United SC, 3:30pm, Diego Martin North Sec School;
Saddle Hill Hotspur vs Central 500 Spartans, 5pm, Pascal Rec Grd, Maraval;
Carenage United vs UTT, 3:30pm, Dibe Rec Grd, Long Circular;
Prisons FC are on a Bye
(Courtesy Nicholas Bhajan/Wired868)
NSL Premiership Division Fixtures
(Sunday 23 October)
Club Sando Moruga vs Siparia Spurs, 3:30pm Grand Chemin Rec Grd;
Matura ReUnited vs Petrotrin Palo Seco, 3:30pm Matura Rec Grd;
Sports and Games FC Santa Rosa vs Marabella Family Crisis Centre, 5pm, Marvin Lee Stadium;
Real Maracas vs Bethel United, 3:30pm, Maracas Valley Rec Grd;
WASA FC vs Guaya United, 3:30pm, WASA, St Joseph;
Defence Force vs Police FC, 3:30pm, DFHQ Chaguaramas;
QPCC vs 1976 FC Phoenix, 3:30pm, St Mary’s Grd, St Clair.
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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.
Well that is what I said eh maybe you need to read meh comments again eh and yes I did went and support my two ex real professional players Marvin Oliver and Ryan Fry Stewart when they represented their new team Real Maracas vs Police in the barracks eh and of course you can see their game was on a higher level compared to the other players and hence the reason why they beat up meh police team eh hahahaha
..You always talking about what you hear. Maybe you should come and see..
But how can this Super league football can be fierce and all that when I was told that Alyuh teams only practice once a week and only play on Sundays eh, that is a minor league and I have also witnessed a team that only had about 13 players to eh, and Alyuh want to compete with my real professional teams in our pro league steeuppss eh. Them really good yes. hahhaha
AHEM!!! back in the days I remember it was Monday _ Thursday practice with games on Friday nights and on weekends eh, and we use to be wukking the same no wonder our football is in the state it is in, not enough playing time is put into playing the game. Them really good yes.
Lol. Wonder what the transport system was like then. Nowadays time just seems to be running away always.
Well remember back in the days was really much safer, so our ballers didn’t feel like there was a curfew to always rush home eh, especially in the crime ridden areas.
With two games a week and players otherwise employed, I think one or two sessions per week is all you could get.
..Yes. It is very difficult for us fighting on two fronts as Super League matches are always fierce affairs which take a physical toll. BUT that is what comes with the ambition of being a top contender..
Keith, I just updated story with fixtures from Roneil. And I think full-time professional players would struggle with the pace those games are coming at!
Having said that, it is the same for school teams. Quality is bound to be affected at that rate.
So who is that fella in the picture giving directions? is it the famous Prof Keith Look Loy hahaha
But Nicholas Dumplin Bhajan that is understaod, the communities is where our football/sports belongs to get the real crowd support eh yuh eh see the millons of people that was In Morvant this pass Sunday watching the game or what eh hahahaha
Yup i took pics at the first jabloteh home game last season under lights and u can hear ppl in the crowd saying that it’s the best thing that ever happened for the community
Nicholas Dumplin Bhajan, the Morvant game yesterday had a larger crowd than any Super League game I ever attended with the possible exception of Guaya.
It so brought back the good memories of the days in PSA Long Circular when Mr. Arthur Suite started our first professional league eh in the early 80’s lol
Good to see
Now i hope no one takes it d wrong way but free entry on an open ground is a professional minor league!! Love d vibes and hope it can be built but d superleague boasting of more supporters is like d minor league in carenage, petit Valley or d poor house saying that
Why should anyone take it the wrong way when you is speaking the ‘TRUTH” eh and you know how some folks just cannot handle the ‘TRUTH” Them really good yes.
The minor leagues should also start asking the spectators for a donation of $ 20 to eh because some of these nowadays businesses doesn’t help the communities, it is some of the drug lords that does eh, remember the boss Cudjoe and Crab Connection in San Juan eh, Them really good yes.
Gordon Pierre so the pro league is happy with 50-100 spectators??? Last season when the 2 TOP clubs played there where less than 100 fans in the stadium.
and that my friend is the ‘TRUTH’ lol
Never said that Nicholas Dumplin Bhajan but any league professional or semi professional should be looking for ways to become self sustainable!! Football is a business and in 2016 we still caught up in cheering a few hundred fans on open grounds with no toilet facilities!! Don’t get me wrong eh i enjoyed d vibes Sunday and when i go superleague games but don’t rave about supporters they are spectators and a spectacle was taking place on d field!! Supporters invest something into d activitie!!! And that’s d TRUTH!!!
Yeah but they will always spend $3000 monies or more for their carnival costumes, $800 – $1200 monies and more for the All exclusive fetes, $ 200 for the boat rides eh,but some of them have a problem with spending $ 20 to watch a football game eh no wonder our football in a mess and will never beat up my second sweetest country unless they really get their acts together eh and stop doing the same things over and over and spining the top in the mud steeuuppss Them really good yes.
Agreed 100% T&T is a bandwagnoist nation,unless someones hears of a big lime going to a game they not interested…as for beating your 2nd sweetest country don’t forget our twin island can fit into a piece of one state in that land,far less the investment,training etc from a tender age…
And that ‘2nd favorite’ country ever produced a champions league winner or anything close? nope!
hahahahaha Yuh have ah point dey eh, but we have won all other big trophies in all the sports eh, just one more to go and eventually we will win the World Cup so in the mean time we will continue to rule the Concacaf eh
The league has more spectators than pro league though…especially the ‘country’ games