Time failed to separate the top two in the BGTT Secondary Schools Football League North Zone yesterday, with Mucurapo Senior Comprehensive and Queen's Royal College (QRC) playing to a hard-fought goalless draw on Fatima Ground, Mucurapo Road.
The result left the league table unchanged, as third-placed Fatima College (11 pts) drew 1-1 with cellar-placed Malick Senior Comprehensive.
Yesterday's other North Zone game saw St Mary's College also up to 11 points after edging St Anthony's College (10 pts) by a 2-1 margin.
In the main match, QRC kept Mucurapo pinned back in defence for much of the first half, but Mucurapo turned it on in the second session and controversially had a goal disallowed near the end.
Kevin Molina, the Mucurapo captain, appeared to have won the game in the dying minutes when tucking home Terrence Clarke's square pass from the centre of goal.
Kareem Joseph, the very capable QRC keeper, had kept his team in the match earlier, but had no answer to Molina's well-placed shot.
Excited Mucurapo supporters were jumping around when the match referee ruled that Molina was offside.
Molina should have put Mucurapo ahead mere seconds before the disallowed goal when he led a quick counter-attack out of his own team's penalty area.
Molina was clear through the QRC defence and facing just keeper Joseph, but his low shot across the face of goal just missed the far corner.
Robust Mucurapo striker Clarke was also clear of the QRC defenders as the first half came to a close, then checked his step and put a powerful shot into the side-netting.
Even when they were on top in the first half, QRC's best efforts were restricted to just a couple of free-kicks from captain Jerrel Britto, who had a constant marker at his side.
Britto's free-kicks went close both times, but without forcing Mucurapo goalkeeper Michael Duff into a save.
Yesterday's SSFL Scores:
North Zone
Malick 1 vs Fatima 1
St Anthony's 1 vs St Mary's 2
Mucurapo 0 vs QRC 0
East Zone
St Augustine 0 vs Arima 1
San Juan 1 vs Toco 0
Trinity East 1 vs Hillview 0
South Zone
Princess Town 2 vs Vessigny 3
Pres San Fernando 0 vs Naparima 1
St Benedict's 1 vs Siparia 1
Central Zone
Marabella 0 vs Presentation Chaguanas 0
Preysal 0 vs Carapichaima 5 (Neil Woodroffe 2, Phillip Wickham, Micheal Reneaud, Kevon Wilson)
Waterloo 5 vs Chaguanas 1
San Juan win seven in a row.
T&T Newsday Reports.
Defending East Zonal champs San Juan secured their seventh successive triumph in the BGTT Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) as action continued yesterday.
San Juan took care of the visiting Toco 1-0 at Bourg Mulatresse, San Juan to move a step closer towards retaining their zonal crown. The other games in the East ended with 1-0 results, as Trinity East defeated Hillview at Trincity while the “Dial Dynamos” Arima pipped hosts “Green Machine” St Augustine.
Reigning Central Zone title-holders Carapichaima continue to lead second-placed Waterloo by seven points after both teams registered comfortable victories. Carapichaima mauled Preysal 5-0 in the second of back-to-back matches at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva while Waterloo showed no mercy on the visiting Chaguanas, prevailing 5-1.
The earlier game at Couva saw Presentation Chaguanas held to a goalless draw by the table-proppers Marabella. Similar to Carapichaima, defending South Zonal champs Naparima continued their unbeaten run when they edged Presentation San Fernando 1-0 in the opening game of a double-header at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.
Naps hold a seven-point cushion over Vessigny, who got the better of hosts Princes Town 3-2, while, in the other contest at Marabella, third-placed Siparia and the struggling St Benedict’s battled to a 1-1 draw. Mucurapo maintained their lead in the North Zone after they were held to goalless draw by second placed QRC at the Fatima Ground.
Third-placed Fatima and cellar-placed Malick finished their duel at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo with a 1-1 tie while St Mary’s moved up to fourth spot after edging hosts and defending zonal champs St Anthony’s 2-1 at Westmoorings. Games in all five zones will be contested tomorrow.
16