SSFL 25: Fatima take three points in a Barrow; defending champs edge St Benedict’s

In a classic north-south showdown, Fatima College edged St Benedict’s College 3-2 in the pick of this afternoon’s Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division fixtures, thanks to a dramatic last gasp winner from 14-year-old defender Xavier Barrow.

The result kept Fatima, the defending champions, on the heels of Naparima College who maintained their 100 percent record today with a win away to Trinity College in Moka.

Naparima have nine points from three matches while Fatima have six points but have played a game less.

Presentation College (San Fernando) are the third outfit with a perfect slate, as they downed San Juan North Secondary 4-1 at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, with attacker Isaiah “Baby Hulk” Jacob bagging all four goals.

Signal Hill Secondary and St Anthony’s College are the remaining schools who are yet to drop points this season. However, Signal Hill have played only once while, after three rounds, the “Westmoorings Tigers” are yet to kick off their 2025 campaign.

St Anthony’s were supposed to face Signal Hill in Tobago today, but the game was not played. Presumably, it will be rescheduled.

Elsewhere, St Mary’s College, who are still unbeaten, again produced a memorable second half showing as they routed Trinity College East 5-0 in Trincity.

The “Saints” have scored 12 times already this season—seven of those goals came in the last hour of their respective matches.

On Mucurapo Road, Fatima and St Benedict’s were already facing each other for the second time this season. Eight days ago, both teams met in a drab Super Cup match, which Fatima won via a penalty shootout.

Today, the two schools conjured up a five-goal thriller.

In the season opener, Fatima took control of the match early on and dictated play.

Yesterday, it was the southern Saints, fielding a more experienced team than in the Super Cup, who got out of the blocks faster—needing only five minutes for standout midfielder Jaylon Forbes to force Jayden Lucas in the Fatima goal into action.

By the 20^th minute, left winger Elijah David, striker Jelani Stoute and right winger Cam’ron Burke had all registered shots that required Lucas’ intervention to keep the scores level.

It was another minute before Jeremai Nanton got his team’s first effort, which failed to trouble Thane Devenish in the St Benedict’s goal.

Fatima continued to struggle to find a foothold in the game, as Benedict’s midfielders Forbes, Adam Pierre and Josiah Ochoa wove a spell around their northern counterparts.

Seth Hadeed and Antuan Louison, so dominant in the Super Cup match, spent most of the first half defending. Yet, their first meaningful passing move opened up the St Benedict’s defence in the 29^th minute for the game’s opening goal.

Hadeed created a half-yard of space to combine with Nanton out wide. Josiah Fernandes, who had switched from right wing to a more central position a few minutes earlier, received Nanton’s cross and, after a classy first touch, volleyed sweetly past goalkeeper Devenish.

The goal came against the flow of the game, but the southern unit didn’t panic and continued to create chances.

Jelani Stoute was profligate, though. And, in the second minute of first half stoppage time, he failed to capitalise on a one-on-one opportunity against Lucas—as he smashed his shot off the underside of the crossbar and watched it rebound back out into play.

The second half started like the first, with the hosts on the backfoot. This time St Benedict’s needed only three minutes to create a shot for right winger Burke, who forced a straightforward save for Lucas.

Just before the hour, Ochoa got his head on a free kick into the box to force Lucas into another save.

In the 69^th minute, team captain Malerky Fraser showed the attackers how it’s done, as he left his centre back position to knock in a right-sided free kick from defensive midfielder Adam Pierre.

Jahaem Bailey, introduced for left winger Tyler Edwards at halftime, created a couple of moments of bother for his team with his direct runs. In the 78^th minute, one of his runs earned a free kick about 20 yards out—slightly left of the goal.

Striker Jediah King lined up to take the free kick with his right foot. At the last moment, it was Bailey himself who struck the ball left-footed.

The change of angle seemed to confuse Devenish, who parried weakly at a shot he should have comfortably saved, only to see the ball bounce into the far corner of the goal.

Undaunted by the setback, St Benedict’s pushed forward in search of a second equaliser. It left them open at the back, which Bailey and Phillip Nelson (on for Louison) threatened to exploit.

Fraser and centre back partner Joshua Figaro remained resolute though, to keep the visitors in the game.

Then, in the first minute of stoppage time, Figaro guided in a corner kick for St Benedict’s to apparently secure an away point against the title rival.

Young Barrow, subbed in for King five minutes earlier, had other ideas.

In the sixth minute of stoppage time, Barrow was on hand to tap in a loose ball off a free kick to send his teammates and supporters into delirium.

And Fatima had their first statement win of the 2025 SSFL Premier Division season.

(Teams)

Fatima College (3-4-3): 1.Jayden Lucas (GK); 2.Reagan Rowe, 4.Daquan Jackman, 5.Elijah Allahar; 16.Matthew Lee Young (9.Phillip Nelson 65), 8.Seth Hadeed, 6.Antuan Louison, 15.Tyler Edwards (10.Jahaem Bailey 46); 29.Josiah Fernandes, 17.Jedaiah King (captain) (21. Xavier Barrow 90), 19.Jeremai Nanton.

Unused substitutes: 40.Aidan Browne, 7.Harland Samuel, 12.Gervais Araujo, 13.Zia Gittens, 28.Tristan Jackman.

Coach: Kerdyn Moe.

St Benedict’s College (4-3-3): 22.Thane Devenish (GK); 13.Kai Robertson, 5.Malerky Fraser (captain), 17.Joshua Figaro, 2.Ruben Phillip; 12.Josiah Ochoa, 4.Adam Pierre, 7.Jaylon Forbes (20.Jelani Roberts 80), 8.Cam’ron Burke (14.Josiah Barrow 65), 9.Jelani Stoute, 10.Elijah David.

Unused substitutes: 1.Naftali Charles (GK), 3.Jahel Lewis, 6.Salim Soanes, 18.Ahkioh Medford, 16.Yohance Stoute, 11.Jude Neckles, 15.Jaydon Duncan, 21.Aaron Gosine, 19.Jelani Scott.

Coach: Randolph Boyce.

Referee: Isaiah McIntyre

SSFL Premier Division results

(Sat 20 September)

Fatima College 3 (Josiah Fernandes 29, Jahaem Bailey 78, Xavier Barrow 90+6) St Benedict’s College 2 (Malerky Fraser 69, Joshua Figaro 90+1) at Mucurapo Road;

Presentation (San F’do) 4 (Isaiah Jacob [4]), San Juan North 1 (Malique Marrast 44 pen) at Mannie Ramjohn Stadium;

Signal Hill Sec v St Anthony’s College, 3.30pm, Signal Hill;

*–Game postponed

Carapichaima East 0, QRC 1 (Zion Aberdeen 12) at Carapichaima East ground;

Trinity East 0, St Mary’s College 5 (Josiah Hunte 42, Deron Blackman 47, Jaylon Manswell 60, Jaylon Roberts 63, Finn De Freitas 78) at Trincity;

Trinity College 0, Naparima College 2 (Riquelme Phillip 57, Adasa Richardson 71) at Moka;

Malick Secondary 2 (Jaquan Phillip 15 pen, Zoevanni Baird 90+7), Scarborough Sec 2 (Varel Wilson 19, Teung Burnley OG 28) at Serpentine Road;

St Augustine Sec 1 (Shumba Cudjoe 38), Arima North 1 (Micha’el John 77) at Warren Street.

Upcoming fixtures

(Tue 23 September)

San Juan North v Trinity East, 3.30pm, Bourg Mulatresse;

St Augustine Sec v Carapichaima East, 3.30pm, Warren Street;

Fatima College v Trinity College, 3.30pm, Mucurapo Road;

St Benedict’s College v Presentation (San F’do), 3.30pm, Mahaica Oval;

QRC v St Anthony’s College, 3.30pm, QRC ground;

Arima North v Signal Hill, 3.30pm, Arima Velodrome;

Naparima College v Malick Secondary, 3.30pm, Lewis Street;

St Mary’s College v Scarborough Sec, 3.30pm, Serpentine Road.