Team captain Jerwyn "Bally" Balthazar was the toast of his Defence Force team-mates as he conjured up a winner five minutes into time added-on to secure a 1-0 triumph over Morvant Caledonia AIA and a one-point lead in the race for the $250,000 top prize in Division One of the Ascension Invitational Football League on Wednesday.
Both teams looked as though they would settle for a share of the points despite their valiant efforts, however, Balthazar, a former national futsal soccer player as well, had other ideas and fired in the decisive item to push his team to 25 points from 11 matches, one ahead of Morvant Caledonia AIA who suffered a second defeat on the trot in the process after a 0-3 loss to Cunupia FC at the same venue on Saturday last.
Despite the win, Defence Force is not certain of the crown as yet and will need a victory over Matura ReUnited on Sunday to do so, or Morvant Caledonia AIA failing to pick up all three points against FC Santa Rosa on Sunday as well.
Going into the start of the match yesterday, Morvant Caledonia AIA led the 12-team table with 24 points from nine matches, two ahead of Defence Force while Cunupia FC was third with 19 points, level with San Juan Jabloteh and two more than Terminix La Horquetta Rangers who faced FC Santa Rosa in a late match at Phase II La Horquetta Recreation.
And a win for Morvant Caledonia would have virtually secured the crown ahead of the final round of matches, but with a second loss on the trot, the team must now end a two-match losing slide with an emphatic victory over an unpredictable Santa Rosa FC, while hoping that Matura ReUnited stalled the "Teteron Men".
The runners-up in Division One will collect $125,000 while the third gets $75,000.
Last night in Division Two, third-placed San Fernando Giants had a chance to go top of their table ahead of the final round of matches on Sunday with a victory against third from bottom RSSR FC at Curepe Recreation Ground, Knowles Street, Curepe.
Going into the match, Deportivo P.F led the table with 25 points from ten matches, one ahead of the University of T&T while San Fernando Giants sit third with 22 points and last night's encounter in hand.
On Sunday in the final round of matches, Giants and Deportivo P.F will meet at Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Training Field, while UTT hosts Marabella Family Crisis Centre at O'Meara Road, Arima, both from 4 pm.
RESULTS
Yesterday
Defence Force 1 (Jerwyn Balthazar 95th) vs Morvant Caledonia AIA 0
On Tuesday
Club Sando 2 (Nion Lammy 18th, 48th) vs Police FC 1 (Kareem Freitas 68tth)
Latest Ascension Team Standings
Division One
Teams*P*W*D*L*F*A*Pts
1. Defence Force*10*8*1*1*22*6*25
2. Morvant Caledonia*10*8*0*2*21*10*24
3. Cunupia FC*10*6*1*3*23*13*19
4. Jabloteh*9*6*1*2*20*13*19
5. T L. H Rangers*9*5*2*2*29*8*17
6. Club Sando*10*5*1*4*18*14*16
7. Police FC*10*3*2*5*18*14*11
8. Santa Rosa*9*3*2*4*14*17*11
9. QPCC*9*2*4*3*11*17*10
10. Guaya United*9*2*0*7*6*21*6
11. Prison Service*10*1*1*8*11*27*4
12. Matura ReUnited*10*1*1*8*11*41*4
Division Two
Teams*P*W*D*L*F*A*Pts
1. Deportivo*10*8*1*1*53*9*25
2. UTT*10*7*3*0*31*11*24
3. San F'do Giants*9*7*1*1*26*10*22
4. Police FC*10*6*0*4*13*17*18
5. Erin FC*10*4*1*5*16*20*13
6. Harlem Strikers*10*4*1*5*14*22*13
7. Club Sando U/Youths*10*3*3*4*21*21*12
8. Moruga FC*10*3*2*5*14*23*11
9. Bethel United*10*3*2*5*14*26*11
10. RSSR FC*9*3*1*5*11*13*10
11. P.V/D.M*10*2*1*7*9*20*7
12. Marabella*10*1*0*9*6*36*3
Upcoming matches
Division One
Today
QPCC vs San Juan Jabloteh, Dibe Rec. Grd, Long Circular, St James, 7 pm