Ataulla Guerra scored one goal and made the other for fellow out-of-favour national player Kadeem Corbin to lead Terminix La Horquetta Rangers to a hard-fought 2-1 win over Central Soccer World to extend their lead in the ten-club Ascension Football League at Phase II Recreation Ground in La Horquetta on Friday night.
Playing the feature match of a double-header, Guerra and his team-mates were made to work hard against a resilient Central Soccer World before taking the lead a 1-0 in the 31st minute when Guerra connected with a rebound off goalkeeper Keston Guy and a defender for a joint-league leading tenth goal of the campaign, level with Defence Force’s Jameel Boatswain.
Rangers were then thwarted in their attempt to extend their advantage by Guy while at the other end of the field, Central Soccer World’s efforts from Nicholas Dillon, Kemeul Rivers and Moses Jaikaran were also turned back by Rangers’ custodian and recent senior national team call-up Jabari St Hillaire.
However, on the hour mark substitute Corbin, who replaced Jomoul Francois just before the half-time interval ran onto a through ball from Guerra to fire a right-footed shot into the far corner to double the lead, with his eighth goal of the competition.
Both teams continued to have a go at each on the very heavy surface and with seconds left on the clock, Central Soccer World was rewarded for their efforts when Simon Joseph curled home a free-kick into the top right-hand corner, but it was too little too late.
With the win, their tenth in 12 matches, Rangers pushed their points tally to 32, five more than Defence Force while Police FC and Deportivo Point Fortin are third with 24 points each from 11 and 12 matches, respectively.
In Friday’s opening match, Isaiah Hudson scored as early as the ninth minute and Nartheon Watson, in the 92nd to secure a 2-0 victory for Deportivo PF against Central FC.
On Saturday at the Arima Municipal Stadium, Arima, Moruga FC was to face Cunupia FC while AC Port-of-Spain came up against Defence Force and on Sunday, Police hosts Real West Fort United at the St James Police Training Barracks, Long Circular Road, St James from 5 pm.
Friday’s results
Deportivo Point Fortin 2 (Isaiah Hudson 9th, Nartheon Watson 92nd) vs Central FC 0
La Horquetta Rangers 2 (Ataulla Guerra 31st, Kadeem Corbin 60th) vs Central Soccer World 1 (Simon Joseph 89th)
Today’s match:
Police FC vs Real West Fort,
St James Police Training Barracks Ground,
Long Circular Road, St James, 5 pm.
Latest standings
Teams P W D L F A GD Pts
1. La Horquetta Rangers 12 10 2 0 52 16 36 32
2. Defence Force 11 8 3 0 35 7 28 27
3. Police FC 11 8 0 3 31 15 16 24
4. Deportivo PF 12 7 3 2 26 11 15 24
5. Cunupia FC 11 4 1 6 16 23 -7 13
6. Central Soccer World 12 4 1 7 15 22 -7 13
7. AC PoS 11 3 3 5 22 25 -3 12
8. Real West Fort 11 3 2 6 14 29 -15 11
9. Central FC 12 1 3 8 17 38 -19 6
10. Moruga FC 11 0 0 11 7 49 -36 0
Leading scorers
10 - Jameel Boatswain (Defence Force), Ataulla Guerra (La Horquetta Rangers)
9 - Kevon Woodley (Cunupia FC)
8 - Brent Sam (Defence Force), Kadeem Corbin (La Horquetta Rangers)
7 - Reon Moore (Defence Force),
6 - Mickaeel Gordon (Police FC), Sedale Mc Clean (AC Port-of-Spain), Che Benny (AC Port-of-Spain),
5 - Tyrone Charles, Isaiah Lee (La Horquetta Rangers), Keron Cummings (Real West Fort)
4 - Akinola Gregory, Hughton Hector (Deportivo PF), Kemron Purcell, Jabari Mitchell, Kareem Freitas (Police), Romario Burke, Leonardo Da Costa (Central FC), Ross Russell Jr (La Horquetta Rangers), Josimar Belgrave (Real West Fort)
3 - Aikim Andrews Junior Assoon, Real Gill (La Horquetta Rangers), Joel Lewis, Gabriel Nanton (Police FC), Keasean St Rose (Central FC), Kemuel Rivers, Moses Jaikaran (Central Soccer World), Andrei Pacheco (Deportivo PF), Jamali Garcia (Defence Force), Shackiel Henry (Deportivo PF),
2 - Mark Ramdeen, Ezekiel Kesar, Nathaniel Garcia, Isaiah Hudson (Deportivo PF), Jomoul Francois, Jamal Creighton, Daniel David (La Horquetta Ranges), Kerville Jeremiah (Moruga FC), Renaldo Francois, (Central FC), Leandro Da Costa (Central FC), Atiba Charles (Moruga), Ryan Frederick, Nicholas Dillion (Central Soccer World), Kwasi Allen (Cunupia FC)