Central FC was denied a chance to go second on the nine-team Digicel T&T Pro League after being held to a 1-1 draw by lowly San Juan Jabloteh at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on Sunday.
Despite dominating the first 45 minutes, Terry Fenwick and his Central FC players had nothing to show for in on the scoreboard against a plucky Jabloteh line-up which looked threatening on the counter-attack.
However, four minutes after the re-start, former Jabloteh duo, Dwight Quintero and Johan Peltier combined to put the Central "Sharks" ahead.
Quintero, who struck overbar in the first-half played a clever one-touch through-pass to Peltier at the top of the 18-yard box, before the latter kept his cool between two defenders and fired past goalkeeper Kevin Dodds.
Central, with new signing and former Finland-based T&T international Ataulla Guerra getting his first feel of things with the Couva-based club continued to enjoy the better of the exchanges with its vastly experience line-up including midfield veteran Marvin Oliver, Jason Marcan, Elton John, Peltier, Guerra and Jamal Jack, dictatings the pace.
With the minutes ticking away, it seemed all was lost for Jabloteh as coach keith Jeffrey replaced this season's leading league goalscorer Baptiste and midfielder Rennie Britto.
However, Shaquille Bertrand secured a point for Jabloteh, when he first won a penalty and then converted easily past goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams.
The penalty was awarded by referee Cecile Hinds when Bertrand's weak right footed cross from the deep inside the left corner of the 18-yard box struck the arm of Central right-back Elton John in the second minute of time added-on.
While the Jabloteh players and coaching staff celebrated, former England international and World Cup defender, Fenwick
reacted in fury, and rightfully so as his team squandered a chance to move into second.
With the draw, Central remained in sixth positioned, tied with Caledonia AIA on 12 points while Jabloteh stayed eight, with seven points.
At the top of the standings is DirecTV W Connection with 20 points from eight matches after a 1-1 draw with Defence Force on Friday at the same venue while Police FC, North East Stars and defending champions Defence Force, are all on 13 points in second, third and fourth spot respectively.
T&T Pro League standings:
Teams P W D L F A Pts
W Connection 8 6 2 0 17 3 20
Police 8 4 1 3 14 11 13
North East Stars 8 4 1 3 9 6 13
Defence Force 8 4 1 3 15 14 13
Caledonia 8 3 3 2 15 10 12
Central FC 8 3 3 2 12 10 12
Pt Fortin CC 8 3 0 5 9 14 9
Jabloteh 8 2 1 5 15 21 7
Rangers 8 1 0 7 11 28 3
fixtures:
Friday January 10:
Venue: Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo
Police vs W Connection, 6pm
Caledonia vs Central FC, 8pm.
Saturday January 11:
San Juan Jabloteh vs St Ann's Rangers, Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, 5 pm
Point Fortin Civic vs North East Stars, Mahaica Oval, Pt Fortin, 3.30pm.