Keston Henry scored with five minutes left on the clock to salvage a 2-2 draw for FC Santa Rosa against 1976 FC Phoenix when matches in the T&T Football Association National Super League Premier Division resumed on Sunday.
Going into the match at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya, Santa Rosa held a three points lead over Club Sando Moruga while Phoenix was seventh, 11 points behind.
But despite their placing on the 15-team table, Phoenix was first to strike via Dominic Mc Dougall in the 16th minute, before Rashad Griffith replied for Santa Rosa in the 34th, only for Mc Dougall to get his second our minutes later for a 2-1 half-time lead.
The visitors from Tobago looked on course for a shock win over the table toppers, however, with five minutes left on the clock, Henry grabbed an equaliser for Santa Rosa to improve to 28 points from 14 matches, only one more than Club Sando Moruga which left it late to pick up a 3-2 win over WASA FC thanks to a hat-trick from Nigel John.
John put Club Sando Moruga ahead in the tenth minute, but WASA hit back through Glen Walker in the 30th and then Akil Thomas, five minute into the second-half for 2-1 lead.
Spurred on by the home crowd, Club Sando Moruga rallied late for all three points with John drawing his team level in the 75th, followed by his winner a minute before the final whistle.
Third placed Petrotrin Palo Seco is three points off the top after a last gasp 2-1 in over cellar-placed Marabella Family Crisis Centre while defending champions Defence Force and Matura Re United are both locked on 23 points in fourth spot after an entertaining 2-2 draw at Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar.
In other matches, Kenwin Matthew netted twice for Police to trounce Bethel United 3-0, Siparia Spurs pipped Queen's Park Cricket Club 3-2behind a double from Andy London, and Real Maracas edged Guaya United 1-0 courtesy a 90th minute Marvin Oliver strike.
Tomorrow (Wednesday), the second round of the blink/bmobile knockout competition will resume with defending champion Guaya United facing Championship Division leader, University of T&T in one of the key matches.
Results
Sunday's Results
Police 3 (Kenwin Matthew 6th, 45th, Jason Boodram 85th) vs Bethel Utd, 0
Siparia Spurs 3 (Andy London 2nd, 78th, Marvin Seuradge 24h) vs QPCC 2 (Nasyir Rodriguez 67th, Jared Bennett 90th)
Petrotrin Palo Seco 2 (Tigana Sparks 4th, Bevon Bass 93rd) vs Marabella Family 1 (Kevin Moodie 34th)
Real Maracas 1 (Marvin Oliver 92nd) vs Guaya Utd 0
Club Sando Moruga 3 (Nigel John 10th, 75th, 89th) vs WASA 2 (Glen Walker 30th, Akil Thomas 52nd)
Matura Re United 2 (Shervin Chares 7th, 90th) vs Defence Force 2 (Josimar Belgrave 68th, 87th)
FC Santa Rosa 2 (Rashad Griffith 34th, Keston Henry 85th) vs 1976 Tobago Phoenix 2 (Dominic Mc Dougall 16th, 38th)
Latest NSL Premier Division standing
Teams P W D L F A Pts
1. Santa Rosa 14 8 4 2 27 15 28
2. Club Sando Moruga 14 8 3 3 26 23 27
3. Petrotrin Palo Seco 14 8 1 5 35 20 25
4. Defence Force 14 6 5 3 32 30 23
5. Matura Re Utd 14 7 2 5 28 32 23
6. Police 14 5 4 5 20 17 19
7. WASA 14 5 3 6 19 24 18
8. Phoenix 14 3 8 3 22 19 17
9. Guaya Utd 14 4 4 6 20 21 16
10. Bethel Utd 14 4 3 7 24 26 15
11. QPCC 14 4 3 7 23 27 15
12. Real Maracas 14 5 2 7 20 19 17
13. Marabella Family 14 3 1 10 16 31 10