Miscellaneous Laventille United began their 2022 campaign with a bang, hammering Football Factory 4-0 in the opening round of the Northern Football Association Premier Division on Sunday.

Kevin McNeil, Dishon Awai and Ryan Isaac were all on target as Laventille United cruised to the comfortable victory.

Laventille owner Sham Mohammed was obviously delighted with the opening win but not carried away.

“This is just the first win for us and it was clear that we were the better team on the day. Footbal Factory were not much of a threat but I expect the season to get tougher as we go on. We need to stay focused and committed to the task which is trying to top the League and furthering our ambitions on the local football circuit,” Mohammed said.

At St Mary’s College Ground, St Clair, McNeil, a former San Juan North Secondary stand-out attacker bagged a brace, while Awai and Issac scored one item each to guide their team to an early Group D lead, ahead of Seekers FC on goal-difference.

There are four groups being contested with four teams in Group A and D and five in B and C. The top two teams will advance out of their groups into the quarter-final stage.

On Friday, Seekers FC defeated Patna FC 2-1, with Akeel Superville scoring an 81st minute winner. Nicholas Roach put Seekers before the half, before Kyle Jones levelled the scores in the 54th minute.

Also on Friday, Group A got underway with Abraham Livingston scoring a pair and O’Neal Vasquez, Khalid King and Josiah Cox all scoring one each as RSSR cruised to a 5-1 over Paramin Scholars. Kyle Jones scored for the losing team.

Police also won handsomely at the Police Barracks, St James, on Sunday, shooting to the helm of Group B, with a 4-0 win over Cultural Roots. Kurdell Brathwaite, Kadeem Boyce, Josiah Wilson and Jaden Moore were all on target.

Also in Group B, Petit Valley/Diego Martin United defeated AC Port of Spain via goals from Brandon Joseph and Jabarry Henry top join Police on three points.

On Saturday, Group C’s St Francois Nationals and Guerreros played to a goalless draw.

Second round matches will be played this weekend. This season is the NFA’s first since the start of the pandemic in 2020.

Prizes on offer include $2,000 for group winners, $1,500 for runners-up, $1,000 for third place and $800 for fourth place.

The overall winners will take home $19,000, with $8,000 on offer for second-place finishers.

Quarter-final victors will also earn $2,000.