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.
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.
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
RELATED NEWS
Santa Rosa celebrate atop Super League.
T&T Newsday Reports.
SPORTS AND Games FC Santa Rosa and Tobago FC Phoenix 1976 played to a 2-2 draw on Sunday, in a Match Day 14 encounter, in the National Super League Premiership Division.
The result also ensured FC Santa Rosa celebrated their 24th anniversary yesterday atop of the 14- team standings with 28 points, while second- placed Club Sando Moruga narrowed the gap between themselves and the leaders to one point.
In their meeting at the Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya, Phoenix went ahead through Dominic Mc- Dougall in the 16th minute but Rashad Griffith knotted the scores in the 34th.
McDougall once again put Phoenix in front four minutes later but the league leaders guaranteed a share of the points when Keston Henry scored in the 85th.
Nigel John recorded a hat-trick as Club Sando Moruga stayed within touching distance of Santa Rosa, courtesy of a 3-2 win over WASA at the Grand Chemin Recreation Ground.
John struck in the 10th minute but WASA responded with strikes from Glen Walker (30th) and Akil Thomas (52nd). In the 75th minute, John made it 2-2 and, with one minute of regulation time remaining, John found the back of the net to complete the win for the hosts.
Third-placed Petrotrin Palo Seco also needed a late winner to register a 2-1 victory over cellar-placed Marabella Family Crisis Centre at Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre.
Tigana Sparks put Petrotrin Palo Seco in front after four minutes but Kevin Moodie equalised for Marabella in the 34th. However, Petrotrin Palo Seco were determined to return home with full points and so they did, when Bevon Bass netted in the third minute of second half stoppage time.
Defence Force, the 2015-2016 winners, were held to a 2-2 draw by Matura ReUnited at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima. Josimar Belgrave (68th and 87th) was on target for Defence Force while Shervin Charles (seventh and 90th) responded for Matura.
Veteran midfielder Marvin Oliver continued the trend of last-minute scorers, with an item in the second minute of stoppage time, as Real Maracas pipped the struggling Guaya United 1-0 at the Maracas Recreation Ground, St Joseph.
Police breezed past Bethel United 3-0 at the St James Barracks, with Kenwin Matthew (sixth and 45th) and Jason Boodram (85th) on target, while Siparia Spurs edged Queen’s Park 3-2 at the St Mary’s Ground, St Clair.
Andy London (second and 78th) and Marvin Seuradge (24th) scored for Siparia while Nasyir Rodriguez (67th) and Jared Bennett (90th) replied for the Parkites.