Just when we thought we had won the game, the ball alleged to have been “saved off the line” by a retreating defender was kicked up-field and a stunning right-footed shot from about 20 yards from the substitute Anthony Bennett, crashed into the far corner of the net as the best effort from the diving goalkeeper Dwayne Miller was to no avail.
The agony of defeat was worst as some Portmore United players admitted after the game that the earlier shot had in fact, crossed the line but not acknowledged by the referees.
Earlier a nimble Keith Kelly had waltzed by two rough tackling defenders into the 18 yards box before slipping his effort pass the usually safe hands of National goalkeeper Shawn Sawyers who advanced in the 25th minute to lead.
Four minutes before halftime an exchange in positions between Christopher “Kimmo” Nicholas and Kevin “Joycie” Derr was not picked up quickly enough and when the ball was headed on, Derr caught the ball inside the penalty area between both central defenders as he bundled the ball over a hesitant Dwayne Miller to equalize.
An intriguing game with the teams trading tactical maneuvers, laced by good technical skills under the watchful eyes of many keen football purists, entertained continually in flowing motions punctuated by fierce shots goalwards at regular intervals, highlighted by three well executed goals.
The first half exemplified by overlapping wingbacks searching for attacking spaces and when captured they would provide crosses and squares to eager forwards to finish.
An ever-present encounter dominates in the middle-third of the park as that is always the geographical area of concentration in the clash of teams high on transitional play laterally designed to deviate momentarily and divert in opposite directions if the decoy is successful to fly a trap, releasing a sniper goalwards.
Kelly’s second half shot was not handled cleanly by Sawyers but Kavin Bryan’s urgent sprint towards the ball was too late to cause undue harm.
Bryan would return 12 minutes later to bang a torrid left-footer onto the upright as Sawyer watched motionless as it rebounded into play safely, much to his relief as he had absolutely no clue to saving it.
Substitute Girvan Brown added a little cameo appearance by popping up inside the box unmarked but his header towards goal was comfortably handled by Sawyers on his line.
Marcelino Blackburn, must still be cursing his luck as his 90th minute downward header beat Sawyers all-ends-up only to see it cleared up the field from what seemed like a position inside the goal, to lead to the heart-breaking match winning goal by Bennett.
The first Round ends with the “Stars of the East” leading on 23 points from Tivoli Gardens on 21, Portmore United and St. Georges SC joined on 19, Boys Town on 18 points and Waterhouse FC on 15 points comes in sixth position.
The End of First Round Finals is on Sunday, November 23rd at the National Stadium starting at 4pm.