A double from forward Jameel Boatswain led Defence Force to a 3-0 victory over Real West Fort United in the second match of a double-header at the Arima Velodrome in the Ascension Football League on Saturday.
In the earlier match, fourth-placed Deportivo Point Fortin (PF) edged last place Moruga Football Club, 2-1.
Boastwain scored on either side of the half to help the army/coast guard combination team keep pace with Terminex La Horquetta Rangers. Both teams have 23 points from seven wins and two draws and match goal-difference of 25 at the midway stage of the competition.
Boastwain scored the opener off a deflected cross which he controlled with one touch off his chest to bring it down and netted a volley over Real West Fort goal-keeper Jacques Poon-Lewis in the eighth minute to give Defence Force a 1-0 lead.
The army/coast guard remained in search of a second goal and had several close chances but it never came as they closed the first half with the one-goal lead.
On the resumption, Defence Force kept attacking and were rewarded in the 58th minute from another two-touch finish from Boatswain, poking the ball past Poon-Lewis.
The third item came from Darius Ollivierra who received a low cross from Brent Sam at the far post and finished superbly in the 76th minute to give Defence Force a 3-0 advantage which they held on to when time expired.
In the opening match of the double-header, Deportivo PF got the early goal from Ezekiel Kesar in the fourth minute. However, Moruga FC, coached by former national women’s player Dernelle Mascall, got the equaliser from Keion La Rode, who beat Deportivo FC’s keeper Marvin Phillip in the 34th minute.
The winner came from Nathaniel Garcia from the penalty spot in the 43rd minute after Martieon Watson was brought down in the box by Akil Phillip, giving Deportivo a 2-1 lead at halftime.
No more goals came in the second half.
The Portin Fortin team is in fourth place with 17 points from five wins, two draws and two losses while Moruga FC remains in 10th spot, winless in nine matches.
The ten clubs are competing for a prize of $100,000 for the winner, while second place gets $50,000, and third $25,000.
Results
Saturday
Deportivo PF 2 (Ezekiel Kesar 4th, Nathaniel Garcia 43rd penalty) vs Moruga FC 1 (Keion La Rode 34th).
Defence Force 3 (Jameel Boatswain 8th, 58th, Darius Olivierra 76th) vs Real West Fort United 0.
Friday
Cunupia 0 vs Central Soccer World 1
La Horquetta Rangers 2 vs AC Port of Spain 1
Standings
Pos Club P W D L F A GD Pts
1 La-Horquetta Rangers 9 7 2 0 37 12 25 23
2 Defence Force 9 7 2 0 30 5 25 23
3 Police FC 8 6 0 2 24 11 13 18
4 Deportivo PF 9 5 2 2 16 8 8 17
5 Cunupia FC 9 4 1 4 15 14 1 13
6 Central Soccer World 9 3 1 5 9 16 -7 10
7 AC Pos 9 2 3 4 17 20 -3 9
8 Real West Fort 9 2 1 6 8 24 -16 7
9 Central FC 8 1 2 5 11 24 -13 5
10 Moruga FC 9 0 0 9 6 39 -33 0