Stephon Nicholas
CENTRAL FC defender Ross Russell Jr scored the winner in a topsy-turvy affair against the grounded Eagles FC in the first match of a double header at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, on December 13.
In a match littered with defensive mistakes from both sides, ironically, it was a defender who decided the contest albeit while in the attacking third.
With the scores tied at 2-2 in the 93rd, a hopeful ball was punted forward and should have been dealt with by Eagles captain Kemuel Rivers or substitute Miguel Williams, but both got in each other’s way and allowed forward Isaiah Lee to steal it and spark an attack. The national forward fed the ball to Daniel David, at the top of the box, who slipped Russell through on goal and the lanky defender dinked it over the onrushing goalie to snatch the three points.
Earlier, in the 24th, David had opened the scoring after a sloppy turnover on the halfway line by Eagles. David jinked past one defender before drifting inside onto his right foot and spanking a low shot that flew past Kevin Graham.
Four minutes later, Eagles knotted the scores through Jadon Carter following a howler by goalkeeper Jabari Brice. The danger from a cross down the left looked to have been averted, but Dominic Douglas, from the opposite flank, whipped in a searching ball in the six-yard box, which Brice, under no pressure whatsoever, allowed to spill from his grasp, leaving Carter with the simple task of bulging the net.
Another poor defensive effort resulted in the goal in the 47th as Eagles failed to clear the ball from a long throw and it eventually fell at the feet of Lee who had time to size up a volley which took a wicked deflection past the Eagles goalie to make it 2-1.
Eagles should have made it 2-2 in the 66th as they were awarded a penalty, but Rivers’ low effort was saved by Brice. Substitute Maurice Dick had conceded the penalty after he tried to clear the ball on the second attempt and ended up tripping Jomoul Francois who was about to pounce.
But Eagles’ persistence paid off in the 78th with a magnificent goal by Francois following a marauding run from deep by Douglas. Francois played a give-and-go with the surging Douglas, who rewarded the former’s run into the box with a perfectly weighted pass which he expertly curled past Brice.
However, with the game ticking to a draw, Russell showed nerves of steel to find the net as Central notched their fourth win of the season.
In the second match of the evening, a second-half penalty by national attacker Real Gill saw Club Sando defeat AC Port of Spain 1-0 to move to the top of the TTPFL standings.
It was Gill’s cross from the left that won the penalty as the ball struck the hand of the defender who protested vehemently, but to no avail.
Gill, with a calm approach, blasted it past Marvin Phillips’ outstretched right hand to seal the points in the 67th.
Shackiel Henry had a chance at the death to secure a point for AC Port of Spain but his strike from just outside the box was deflected wide.
TTPFL standings
Teams*GP*W*D*L*Pts
Club Sando*8*6*0*2*18
Police*7*5*1*1*16
Prisons*8*5*1*2*16
Defence Force*6*4*2*0*14
Central FC*7*4*1*2*13
AC POS*7*3*2*3*11
San Juan Jabloteh*8*2*3*3*9
Caledonia*5*2*1*2*7
Point Fortin*6*2*1*3*7
La Horquetta Rangers*7*1*1*5*4
FC Phoenix*7*1*0*6*3
Eagles FC*7*0*1*6*1
