Three minutes into yesterday's top-of-the table clash, Princes Town Senior Comprehensive striker Andre Quashie hit his penalty high enough to give Naparima College custodian Curtis Julien the chance to save the kick.
The first goal in 160 minutes of play this season between these keen rivals in the SSFL South Zone looked enough to win "Naps" three vital points and stretch their slim lead over second placed Princes Town to four. But no!
In the last minute of this Manny Ramjohn Stadium fixture, Kyim Balthazar left the Naparima fans, and their players, dumfounded with the most accurate of headers. Out of the blue it came, with not a minute to spare: 1-1 the final score.
And while it did nothing to help P/Town close the one-point gap at the summit, Balthazar's goal kept the race tight. And allowed Quashie to breathe easier.
Down to the last minute yesterday, he must have been anxiously reliving Julien's penalty stop, or conversely, his miss in a match where clear-cut chances were scarce, especially for Princes Town and where taking points off the leaders was vital to P/Town's title hopes.
A further thwarting of Quashie by Julien in the first half following a square pass from his skipper Shevon Frederick and a clearance in front of his keeper by a Naps defender of a goal-bound effort seemed to be the best Princes Town could manage.
In truth, their opponents seemed to have their measure. Not that the Naparima midfield was shredding the P/Town defence to bits. There was too much wayward passing in the game from either side for defence men to have been so pressured. But, in the first half especially, Naps enjoyed the greater possession.
Striker Shahdon Winchester, no longer so tiny a lad but still busy, twice forced Princes Town keeper Williams to concede corners.
But on this slicked up field, there was little fluency to the play. The second half did not improve the quality. But Princes Town enjoyed more parity.
Still, after the "Green Hornets" had lost possession in their half and Parris eventually collected, shifted one defender and wrong-footed the keeper with an effort that seemed deflected, Naps appeared to have done the business again, getting the goal that mattered. But like the old thief in the night, Balthazar came calling.
Jumping well, he met one last, desperate cross from the right side of the 18-metre box with a downward header that beat Julien for precision rather than power. Into the bottom right hand corner of the net it nestled. A vital point saved for P/Town, two lost for Naps. Quashie would get a good night's sleep.
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