Boom! And just like that the high-mast flood lights at the Hasely Crawford Stadium were gone for the night.
The electrical malfunction was caused by an exploding transformer just outside the Wrightson road venue and that brought a premature end to proceeding on Match Day Four of Round Two, meaning the highly-anticipated clash between Digicel Pro League leaders Central F.C and a surging Defence Force had to be rescheduled.
Despite missing out on game two of the double header, there was none of the customary grumbling from fans which is possibly due to the entertainment provided in game one between mid-table Club Sando and second placed W Connection.
The final score of 3-1 might hint at some form of domination by the eventual winners W Connection but in fact it was a competitive affair which was decided by a player finding his scoring form on the night. Jamal Charles was undoubtedly the player of the night as he banged in three goals to give W Connection the win and bring them within a point of the forcibly idle Central F.C.
The last time Charles featured on the score sheet was back in Round One versus the very same Sando and he showed his liking for the back of their net 30 minutes into the encounter with a well taken header following Shaquille Bertrand’s chip over goalkeeper Kelvin Henry.
He was at it again in the 43rd minute but had little to do for his second as Kevon Goddard stole the ball in midfield and punished the Sando defence with a well measured pass to Neil Benjamin who in turn provided the perfect center for Charles to slot home and give his team a 2-0 lead at the half.
When the second half got underway, it took a fine save from Henry to deny Charles an early triple after he was sent clear through by another neat pass from Bertrand but it would be the southerners pulling one back through Keron Cornwall who slapped one pass the first post of Terrence Lewis after receiving the ball from his captain Akeem Humphrey at the end of a well-orchestrated build up by Angus Eve’s team in the 50th minute.
Sando did press for the equalizer but the Savonetta Boys stood firm in defence and then came the goal of the night which proved that Charles was in inspired form. The ever-green Andre Toussaint took the ball in midfield and bisected the four man Sando defence with a pass to Charles who made a move to get around the goal keeper which put him at a tight angle inches from the by-line…no problem, hat trick in the 73rd minute. The result making the Central/Defence Force match even more enticing as we race to the title.