Fatima College were given a lifeline even as they lost the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) North Zone leadership to Mucurapo Senior Comprehensive, who drubbed QRC 4-0 at QRC's St Clair Avenue ground last evening.
A disciplinary committee ruled yesterday that last Thursday's contest between the Royalians and Fatima, which was blown off five minutes from the end after a free kick dispute turned ill-tempered, has to be replayed on Saturday.
This decision means that Fatima have a second chance to boost their goal difference in the meeting at QRC ground.
And as a result of their win by a four-goal advantage, Mucurapo now lead the North standings for the first time this season, by three points with 27 and a three-goal advantage on goal difference.
Mucurapo travelled to QRC with full points and a hefty margin of victory in mind, but found themselves evenly matched in the first half of the opening period. In fact, the first attacking moves were made by QRC, but Kisean Worrell and Keron Doldron both shot wide of Mucurapo 'keeper Denzil Cazabon's post.
In the seventh minute, QRC custodian Jesse Fullerton, national under-15 'keeper and skipper at the regional tournament earlier this year, conceded a penalty with a tackle on Khaleem Highland. But he made amends, diving to his left and punching Richard Roy's kick wide to keep the scores level at 0-0.
But Highland made sure Mucurapo got a 1-0 lead, which they took to the interval, when he spanked home from long range in the 31st minute.
QRC's best chance of the half came four minutes earlier, when Worrell's left side volley rocked Cazabon's crossbar.
The match looked to have lost momentum in the second half, which started rather slowly, yet, Mucurapo still managed to get the odd brilliant save out of Fullerton.
But second half substitute Al Mohammed changed all that, finding himself unmarked in a great position to head home a cross in the 69th.
Two minutes later, Mohammed put the result beyond doubt, knocking home the rebound of a Fullerton save after an initial clearance off the line by a defender for a 3-0 scoreline.
In the 78th minute, Atullah Guerra sparked jubilant celebrations by Mucurapo supporters with the final goal of the game. His initial shot in the six-metre box was stopped by Fullerton, but he side-stepped the goalie with the rebound and knocked home.