A GLANCING header from young striker Jason Marcano won CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh their second FA Trophy title when they edged Defence Force 2-1 in the final on Wednesday night at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya.
Jabloteh were also champions in 1998 when they got past Defence Force by a 3-2 margin.
On Wednesday, Defence Force were successfully holding Jabloteh to a 1-1 stalemate when they had midfielder Dexter Pacheco sent off in the 62nd minute by refreee Neal Brizan, after picking up two fouls in quick succession.
Ten minutes later, the San Juan team made their man advantage count when a free Marcano flicked Angus Eve's corner-kick into the Defence Force goal to give Jabloteh the lead.
Defence Force got the final off to a fast start when new recruit Bevon Lewis gave them the lead in just their first attack on the Jabloteh goal.
Meeting a ball coming across the penalty area in the fourth minute, Lewis hit a low shot with his left foot, giving goalkeeper Daurance Williams little chance to keep it out the Jabloteh goal.
Lewis should have then doubled his tally six minutes later, when driving up the right, shrugging off a few tackles, but then hitting his powerful shot over the Jabloteh bar.
Jabloteh then had much more scoring chances in the first half, but were undone either by wayward finishing or good reaction saves from Defence Force goalie Cleon John.
Jabloteh's Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Aurtis Whitley was a constant threat up the right flank until taken off early in the second half after a brutal tackle from Rawle Fletcher.
At one point, Whitley embarrassed stopper Anton Pierrre with the ease with which he pushed the ball through the legs of the Army man.
Probably reacting to the jeers of the crowd, Pierre foolishly tried to return the favour to Whitley, but lost the ball and inadvertently set up a chance for Kerry Baptiste.
Luckily for Pierre, Baptiste just failed to turn the ball into the Defence Force goal.
However, a mere minute later, Baptiste got it right when again combining with Whitley, who penetrated from the right flank and laid off a short pass which Baptiste slapped low into the Defence Force goal to bring his team level at 1-1 in the 16th minute of the match.
Jabloteh then created much more goalscoring chances than their opponents.
Baptiste had two shots in succession blocked by defenders in the 23rd minute, while Nigel Daniel met Trent Noel's free-kick, but had his 32nd minute header turned around the post by an acrobatic dive from goalie John.
Jabloteh striker Kerry Noray also outpaced the defenders in the 34th minute, but failed to successfully place the ball through the legs of alert keeper John, who dropped down on it.
Defence Force had far less looks at their opponents' goal in the second half and once Marcano gave Jabloteh a 2-1 lead, the Army simply could not find a way to threaten with a man short.
FA TROPHY WINNERS 1990-2005
1990 - Police FC
1991 - Defence Force
1992 - Motown
1993 - Trintoc
1994 - Police FC
1995 - United Petrotrin
1996 - Defence Force
1997 - United Petrotrin
1998 - San Juan Jabloteh
1999 - W Connection
2000 - W Connection
2001 - Joe Public
2002 - W Connection
2003 - North East Stars
2004 - No winner
2005 - San Juan Jabloteh