Fatima College and Presentation College, San Fernando, shared the points in a dogged 1-1 tie on Saturday (October 25) in the Premier Division of the Secondary Schools Football League at Fatima Ground on Mucurapo Road in Port-of-Spain.
Both, however, will view the result as a give-away, as neither could topple leader Naparima College, as the league veers toward the end. The result means that Fatima has moved to the third position in the 16-team standings, while St Benedict’s College, which edged St Anthony’s College 1-0 at Mahaica Sporting Complex in Point Fortin, has secured the second position on 27 points.
Leading team Naparima, on the other hand, was surprisingly held to a 1-1 tie by San Juan North Secondary in Bourg Mulatresse, a result that pushed its tally one point up the standings to 28 points.
Presentation College entered the match a confident bunch, being the only team to have beaten leader.
Despite the long journey from the southland, Presentation College footballers were the ones to settle first. The game had hardly started when the visitors snatched the early advantage after just the fourth minute. Dangerman Isaiah Jacob galloped onto a pass that was aimed in his direction, and his snapshot took a deflection before flying past Jadon Pollard in the Fatima goal.
The goal shocked the home team, as they struggled to settle down against a team that ended the winning streak of the leading team last week, 1-0.
However, as the Mucurapo Road team was cheered on by their fans, they lifted their game and took control of the match, creating numerous chances that had the visitors retreating. In the 21st minute, Jaheim Bailey struck a curling effort from an earlier build-up in the centre of the Presentation College goal area, but his shot went just wide of the goal post.
Seven minutes later, the Fatima men piled on the pressure by playing a high-pressure game that allowed them to earn possession of the ball in the 28th minute. But "Pres" goalkeeper Marcelo Phillip, the son of national goalkeeper Marvin Phillip, was equal to the task when Bailey spanked the ball hard and low, as he pushed it wide.
They would not be denied the equaliser, though. In the 31st minute, Presentation defence failed to cope with another Fatima build-up and the ball rolled invitingly for Thomas Decle to hit a one-time shot that took a deflection before going past Phillip for a 1-1 scoreline.
With the score tied at one apiece, the teams went to the halftime interval, both knowing they needed to win the encounter. And when they returned to the pitch, the visitors turned the screws on the Fatima team early and twice could have scored.
In the 58th minute, Tyrese Harding outran his marker on the right flank before centring for the unmarked Jacob, whose one-time shot was pushed wide by goalkeeper Pollard.
Bailey scored late in the match from a left-side cross, but the referee waved offside. The teams attacked each other in the moments that followed, but could not break the deadlock.
Saturday's results
Presentation College 1 (Isaiah Jacob 4th) vs Fatima College 1 (Thomas Decle 31st)
San Juan North 1 (Jayden Moraldo) vs Naparima 1
Arima North Sec 4 (Darren Du Four 2, Cristiano Hinds, Tariq Thomas) vs Trinity College East 2
SSFL Premiership (Round 11)
P*W*D*L*GF*GA*GD*Pts.
1*Naparima College*11*09*01*01*35*04*31*28
2*St Benedict’s College*10*09*00*02*36*11*25*27
3*Fatima College*12*08*02*02*34*20*14*26
4*Presentation College*12*09*01*03*20*09*12*25
5*St. Anthony’s College*10*06*01*03*24*14*10*19
6*Queen’s Royal College*12*05*02*05*21*21*00*17
7*St Mary’s College*11*04*03*04*29*18*11*15
8*Trinity College*10*05*00*05*16*24*-8*15
9*Arima North Secondary*11*03*04*04*23*22*01*13
10*Signal Hill Secondary*06*04*00*02*18*09*09*12
11*Malick Secondary*10*02*03*05*21*26*-05*09
12*Trinity College East*09*03*00*06*12*30*-18*09
13San Juan North Secondary10*02*03*05*19*21*-02*09
14*St Augustine Secondary*11*02*03*06*13*33*-20*09
15*Scarborough Secondary*10*01*03*06*11*29*-18*06
16*Carapichaima East Secondary*12*00*00*12*07*48*-41*00
