By Shaun Fuentes

LOCAL powerhouse Defence Force moved into top spot in the Craven A Professional Football League with a 2-0 victory away to Point Fortin Civic Centre as third round of action played off yesterday.

W Connection, leaders going into yesterday's round, came away victors by way of a 47th minute goal from skipper Earl Jean, but dropped to second position on goal difference to the soldiers.

The Army, fresh from a 1-0 win over CL Financial Jabloteh in the last round, took the lead through Jason Scotland in the 49th. Scotland notched his third goal in two matches, finishing off the "Black City" boys with another in the 70th. This was their third win in as many games.

Joe Public meanwhile, stayed in third spot despite a 2-1 shut-out of Police at Dr Joao Havelange Concacaf Centre of Excellence, Macoya.

Last year's semi-professional champions got the show rolling when national striker Angus Eve netted his second goal of the season in the 22nd minute.

Despite a few missed attempts by the "Eastern Lions", Police kept themselves in the match, grabbing a 43rd minute equaliser through Kerry Franklyn.

Their resistance was halted however, as national striker Irasto Knights, coming off the bench, stole a 74th minute winner.

At Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre, both Connection and Futgof were in no way willing to let anything slip by and neither were able to have a descent attempt at goal within the first half hour.

Futgof had two opportunities to go ahead when Jerry Franklyn could only get a slight touch from close range, following a right-sided cross. Soon after Atiba Alexander's low try went past the right post.

Late in the half, the southerners began to put their act together, leaving their opponents on the backfoot prior to the break.

Goalkeeper Brian James committed himself early to a Sherwyn Julien cross and luckily for him Atiba Charles' header went wide.

Soon after both Wesley Webb and St Lucian Titus Elva had shots blocked out by defenders, Elva's try being the closer as his blast came off defender Walt Noreiga.

Connection came with all guns blazing after the break and soon after Elva's shot went wide, fellow St Lucian Earl Jean, skippering the side in place of the suspended Reynold Carrington, met a right-sided cross before executing a neat diving header past James in goal.

Connection who introduced Vijay Samaroo into their line-up, controlled much of the proceedings later on and could have gone further ahead, but saw a long range shot by Lyndon Andrews narrowly going overbar. They are now in second spot having scored eight goals, conceding none, as opposed to six and none by the Army.

Jabloteh collected their first win of the competition, drubbing Central's Doc's Khelwalaas 4-1 in the second game of the double-header at Macoya.

Doc's who began their PFL campaign impressively with a 5-2 win over PFCC, went ahead through Kerwyn Emanuel in the opening half, but new head coach Neil Sorzano saw his side swept away by a fired up Jabloteh who replied with an Otis Seaton double, along with strikes by Vincentian James Chewit and Rolston James.

The three points pushed them from seventh to fourth spot in the standings.