After two attempts, Beetham club RSSR led by Ruthvin Charles has finally won the Northern Football Association (NFA) Knock Out Title.
On Friday, under lights at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain, the club named in honour of former national stand-outs Russell Tesheira, Selris Figaro, Sammy Llewelyn and Reynold George, edged Malta Carib Alcons 1-0 courtesy a strike by Hakeem Gulston in the 69th minute.
In a match that could have gone in any direction, the youthful Alcons outfit enjoyed the majority of possession, passing and moving the ball around, as well as creating lots of chances. But for the many opportunities they created, they could not find a way past the athletic Akeem James in the RSSR goal.
RSSR, which opted to play a more physical and gutsy game, got the winner in the second period of play when Gulston found room on top the area and unleashed a blistering low drive that beat the outstretched arms of the Alcons' custodian Marlon Carrington much to the delight of the hundreds of fans and supporters that made their way to the historic final.
Afterwards James, the talented RSSR goalkeeper was adjudged the Man of the Match for his heroics between the uprights which ensured he kept a clean sheet, while his team took home the winner's cheque of $25, 000, the winners' trophy and medals.
The final, which created history for being the first Knockout final to be played under lights at the savannah, had attracted an estimated 1,500 fans that included former national stand outs Clayton Morris, Reynold George, Selris Figaro, Jerry Brown and Angus Eve.
New NFA president Anthony Harford dsescribed the match as a remarkable success for a first-time event, saying people welcomed the initiative.
According to Harford it now gives him and his association the encouragement to have more matches at the Savannah at nights.