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DEFENDING national BWIA Secondary Schools Football League and Intercol champions Naparima College had their 24-match unbeaten run, dating back to last season, shattered by Pleasantville Senior Comprehensive yesterday, going down 1-3 in a fourth round encounter.

Dillon Mitchell (31st), Clint Tidd (42nd) and Kevin Simon (65th) were the youngsters on target for the "Maroon Platoon" who had to come from a goal down after Wendell Joseph had put "Naps" ahead after seven minutes.

Naparima's loss allowed St Benedict's College to take the lead in the south standings with 10 points after they beat newcomers Vessigny Composite 2-0 at La Romain yesterday.

Nkosi Blackman (17th) and Lester Edwards (60th) were the men on target for the 1998 Intercol champions. With yesterday's win , Pleasantville moved to seven points.

Missing the services of leading striker Atiba McKnight, Lyndell Pompey and coach Jan Steadman through suspension from their previous 2-1 win over Presentation College, San Fernando, "Naps" controlled proceedings up until P/Ville's equaliser on a soggy surface.

Inside the opening minute, Roderick Anthony's cross from the right found Atiba Forde inside the 18-yard box, but his downward header was well pushed away by goalkeeper Adisa Alleyne.

Then six minutes later Joseph ran onto a chip inside the area and got his head to the ball before the advancing 'keeper, receiving a knock to his face in the process. Peters, last season's Most Valuable Player and a current member of the national Under-20 team, was a force in the "Naps"" midfield in the first half but it turned out that they missed him in his normal sweeper position at the back.

On 12 minutes, Peters forced his way past three players before forcing Alleyene to save his 25-metre shot. Three minutes later Peters' right-footed free kick deflected onto the top of the crossbar.

P/Ville struggled to build any worthwhile attacks in the opening half-hour but soon got their act together in front of about 400 fans. They got the equaliser when an initial cross from the right was blocked but the "Naps" defence delayed the clearance, allowing Mitchell to win possession and rifle past 'keeper Shai Prescod from the edge of the box.

Then the "Champs" found themselves trailing 2-1 when Raymond Roach's intended shot was hit home on the left far post by Tidd. From then on "Naps" were never able to mount a decent attack as McKnight looked on from the sidelines hopelessly.

Tidd and Roach were combining well on the right flank for P/Ville and received good support from midfielder Nicholas Rajaram and captain Mbwana Johnson at the back.

P/Ville delivered the death shot on "Naps" unbeaten streak when Mitchell found Tidd wide on the right of the box and after his effort was blocked by Prescod's right foot, Simon ran in to nail the rebound.Things got worse for "Naps" when Fabian Davis was sent off by female referee Cassie Moore for elbowing an opposing player.

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