The title race for the 2023/24 TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) took another interesting twist on Sunday evening, when leaders Miscellaneous Police FC (39 points) were held to an exciting 3-3 draw by 1976 FC Phoenix at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago.
The result took Police four points clear of second-placed AC PoS (35 points) at the TTPFL's summit. However, with the solitary game left against cellar-placed Central FC, Police will have to depend on AC PoS to drop points in their remaining matches to secure the top spot.
AC PoS have three games left in the season, including a meeting against Phoenix on Wednesday.
The Tobago outfit certainly played the role of spoiler in their clash with Police, and they led twice in the six-goal thriller in Bacolet before scoring dramatically in stoppage time to grab a point.
Phoenix took the lead in the fourth minute when their talisman Mickaeel "Jem" Gordon scored his tenth goal of the season after receiving a lovely pass from midfielder Adriel George. Xavier Rajpaul equalised for Police in the 17th minute, but Phoenix restored their lead just past the half-hour mark when Che Richards finished off another move involving the busy George.
The teams went into the halftime interval level at two apiece as Police flanker Kadeem Hutchinson headed in a left-side cross from Josiah Wilson in the 41st minute.
In the 65th minute, the lively Wilson turned from provider to scorer when he gave the lawmen the lead with a rasping shot from outside the area to make it 3-2.
Police seemed to be heading for the precious three points to take them six points clear of AC PoS, but they were denied by late friendly fire when substitute Anthony Wolfe inadvertently headed a set piece past Police goalkeeper Adrian Foncette in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage-time to level the scores at 3-3.
Phoenix consolidated seventh spot on the table with the draw, and they will do their best to further impact the title run-in on Wednesday when they meet title challengers AC PoS.
TTFPL tier one standings:
Team*GP*W*D*L*GF*GA*GD*Pts
1.Police FC*19*11*6*2*42*20*22*39
2.AC PoS*17*10*5*2*40*19*21*35
3.Defence Force FC*18*10*4*4*33*18*15*34
4.Club Sando*18*9*5*4*30*21*9*32
5.La Horquetta Rangers*18*7*4*7*36*33*3*25
6.Point Fortin Civic*18*6*5*7*25*20*5*23
7.1976 FC Phoenix*17*7*2*8*27*32*-5*23
8.Prisons FC*19*7*1*11*24*35*-11*22
9.Caledonia*18*5*6*7*26*25*1*21
10.Eagles FC*18*5*4*9*21*28*-7*19
11.Central FC*18*0*2*16*12*65*-53*2
SOURCE: T&T Newsday
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