BETHEL UNITED sent Police FC back to Trinidad empty-handed on Wednesday at the Mt Pleasant Ground, beating them 3-2 to win their first ever National Super League Knockout title and pocket $100,000 in a pulsating final that needed extra time to decide a winner.
Playing at “home” in front of a partisan crowd, Bethel had the chance to win the game in normal time but threw away a late second half penalty.
Their profligacy did not come back to haunt them though, with a stunning extra time performance that blew away Police.
Bethel went into the match as the underdogs to a Police team that have been in good form over their recent games and had beaten them twice in league play already.
It was Bethel who started the game with greater urgency though and they were soon rewarded in the fourth minute when Densyl James put the ball in the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.
Police levelled the scores in the 39th minute courtesy Dwayne Salazar as the teams went into the half at one goal apiece.
In the second half, Bethel kept up the pressure but had missed a few good opportunities the team created.
Police held their own but it was Bethel who had the golden opportunity to secure the title with a little over 10 minutes remaining in the game when a Police defender committed a foul in the box and the referee blew his whistle for a penalty kick.
As the Bethel player stepped up and the crowd waited in anticipation, the Police goalkeeper dived to his right and made the save to keep the home supporters quiet.
The game ended 1-1 in regulation time and it was on to extra time.
Bethel were again the aggressors and James added his second item in the second minute of the first extra period while Dwane Marcelle made it 3-1 in the 106th minute to spark wild celebrations.
Police pulled one back through an own goal by Omarr Charles in the 110th minute but they could not stop Bethel from creating history.
RELATED NEWS
Marcelle takes Bethel to $100,000 title.
T&T Guardian Reports.
Dwane Marcelle netted in the first minute of second-half extra-time as Bethel United completed its dream run in the T&T Football Association National Super League blink/bmobile knockout competition with a 3-2 win over Police FC at Mt Pleasant Recreation Ground on Wednesday.
Both teams were locked at 1-1 at the end of the 90 minutes of regulation time with Densyl James fourth minute opener for Bethel United being canceled out by Dwayne Salazar’s 39th equaliser.
However, both teams failed to find a winner in the second-half, and two minutes into extra-time James got his second to restore Bethel lead’s at 2-1 which it carried into the extra-time break.
A minute into the final extra-time period, Marcelle extended the advantage to 3-1, but with five minutes left, Bethel then conceded an own-goal as Police clawed back to within a goal.
In the end, the Premier Division strugglers were able to hang onto their narrow advantage to take home the $100,000 winners cheque while Police had to settle for $50,000.
Last week in the semifinals, Teejay Cadiz fired in the decisive item for Bethel United to stun Premier Division table leaders Sports & Games FC Santa Rosa 2-1 also at Mt Pleasant.
Bethel led through national beach football player Kevon Woodley, but it only lasted a few seconds as Keron Clarke drew Santa Rosa, level almost from the restart, before Cadiz got the winner.
The “Lawmen” avoided an all-Tobago final by blanking 1976 FC Phoenix 2-0 with a goal apiece from Real Didier in the 44th, and Jason Boodram, in the 77th. Santa Rosa and Phoenix, as losing semifinalist will each get $25,000.
League action will resumes in the Championship and Premier Division on Saturday November 5 and Sunday November 6, respectively.
Results
Wednesday
Bethel Utd 3 (Densyl James 4th, 92nd, Dwane Marcelle 106th) vs Police FC 2 (Dwayne Salazar 39th, own gaol 110th)
Semifinals
Bethel United 2 (Kevon Woodley 48th, Teejay Cadiz 58th) vs Santa Rosa 1 (Keron Clarke 49th)
Police FC 2 (Real Didier 44th, Jason Boodram 77th) vs 1976 FC Phoenix 0
Fixtures
Championship Division
Saturday November 5
UTT vs Barrackpore United, UTT Ground, O'Meara Ground, Arima, 6pm
T&T Prison vs Saddle Hill Hotspur, YTC Ground, Arouca, 3.30pm
Cunupia FC vs Petit Valley/Diego Martin, Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, 3.30pm
Central 500 Spartans vs Youth Stars, New Settlement Ground, Chaguanas, 5pm
Premier Division
Sunday November 6
1976 Phoenix vs Defence Force, Canaan Rec. Grd, Bon Accord, 5pm
Santa Rosa vs Police FC, Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya, 5pm
Bethel Utd vs QPCC, Mt Gomery Rec. Grd, 6pm
Siparia Spurs vs Marabella Family, Irwin Park, Siparia, 5pm
Petrotrin Palo Seco vs Real Maracas, Palo Seco Municipal Stadium, Palo Seco, 6pm
Guaya United vs Club Sando Moruga, New Lands Grd, Guaya, 3.30pm
Matura Re United vs WASA FC, Matura Rec. Ground, 3.30pm.
Standings
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Santa Rosa 19 12 5 2 41 18 41
Defence Force 19 10 5 4 46 36 35
Siparia Spurs 19 9 4 6 45 39 31
Club Sando Moruga 19 9 4 6 34 37 31
Police FC 18 8 5 5 29 21 29
Guaya Utd 19 8 4 7 38 32 28
Matura Re Utd 19 8 4 7 41 45 28
Petrotrin P/Seco 19 8 2 9 45 39 26
1976 Phoenix 19 5 10 4 32 28 25
Real Maracas 19 7 3 9 33 32 24
WASA FC 18 6 3 9 26 38 21
Bethel Utd 19 5 4 10 30 44 19
QPCC 19 4 5 10 30 40 17
Marabella Family 19 3 2 14 22 43 11
Championship
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Cunupia FC 12 8 1 3 29 19 25
UTT 11 6 3 2 28 14 21
Central 500 Spartans 11 6 2 3 23 17 20
Barrackpore Utd 13 5 2 6 25 22 17
Saddle Hill Hotspur 11 5 1 5 20 25 16
Youth Stars 10 4 0 6 23 19 12
T&T Prisons 11 2 5 4 15 20 11
P.V/D.M Utd 12 3 2 7 17 28 11
Carenage Utd 12 3 2 7 15 36 11