North Village 1 PHC 1

A tension-filled, nerve-racking draw at Bernard Park yesterday put both the "bubbly" and the fat lady on hold for two weeks.

In one of the season's most electric matches, PHC - dicing perilously with relegation - fought to the death for a hard-earned share of the points with home side North Village.

The one point they came away with leaves the struggling club - still in the Premier League's cellar position - with a whiff of oxygen in their league lifeline.

By contrast, the 1-1 result frustrated Village's quest to reclaim their title as the top team in the land. Victory would have put them out of second-placed Devonshire Cougars' reach with a game in hand.

The Village camp was clearly deflated by the unexpected hiccup in their plans - and champagne celebrations - but they would appreciate it could have been worse had Keith Jennings not equalised eight minutes from time.

The point gained by the defending champions puts them three ahead of Cougars who can only hope that Village lose their last match and that they win to tie Village on points, leaving the championship to be determined on goal difference. Equal intrigue at the bottom of the table will have all eyes on the March 2 final round of fixtures which will decide the fate of all eight league teams.

PHC will take much comfort from yesterday when they finally showed some mettle and spirit in a match which, for obvious reasons, they were expected to lose.

Asked where this PHC had been all season, coach Mark Wade acknowledged the difference in his players and replied: "Probably in the changing room.

"It was all about heart and determination today. This team showed they have the mental capacity to play. It wasn't pretty at times but when you're at the bottom, you got to do what has to be done - by any means necessary."

The battle for supremacy versus survival was pulsating, physical and - as Wade noted - not too pretty as the advantage swung back and forth. Opposing players clattering to the turf became an increasingly common sight as both teams gave little quarter.

The first half was a war of attrition, with both goalies being tested - particularly PHC's Dennis Joell - but not breached as tight marking and sturdy tackles were the order of play in a goalless session.

An aggressive Village got the better of PHC early in the second half, having their guests defending heavily with only Dawud Tucker really up front for Zebras.

Jennings had the best of Village's chances with a free kick that was just wide of the right post. His team-mate - and often a lethal substitute - Clay Smith, was shut down inside the six-yard box each time he received the ball.

Against the run of play, Dennis Russell put PHC 1-0 up in the 62nd minute, heading home a free kick by Omar Shakir. The latter took the kick on the far right of goal, midway in Village's half, smacking it across the face of the goal to Russell at the far post. The park was silent except for a few faithful pockets of Zebras' fans who cheered a rare strike in their favour.

However, the uproar was deafening when Jennings found the net in the 82nd minute to give Village spectators hopes of a fabulous comeback.

His equaliser came amid another of Village's workmanlike build-ups, with the ball being played to him about ten yards out directly in front of goal. His powerful right-footer sped through a cluster of players, rocketing into the upper right corner of PHC's goal before Joell could move.

Kentoine Jennings was almost Village's hero with a header which Joell just managed to flick over the crossbar as it dipped ominously. The final whistle could not have come too soon for PHC as a rejuvenated Village pressed forward in the dying stages, seeking the elusive winner.

So accustomed have Village supporters become to their side's dominance of late that the resistance of the season's weakest team proved a shocker. They dispersed quickly as Scott Morton's players gathered to ponder the hold-up in their title chase.

Wade, fully aware his team is still in hot water, said: "We've got to build on this. Depending on the other results today (yesterday), we may have an opportunity to survive the drop if we take maximum points in our final league match."

North Village: D.Adams, M.Hansey, K.Binns, Kentoine Jennings, K.Dill, J.Jennings, Kevin Jennings, R.Bean, Keith Jennings, J.Davis (C.Smith, 62 mins), D.Warren (D.Coddington, 65 mins).

PHC: D.Joell, S.Lewis, J.Ball, D.Wilson, Tokia Russell, O.Shakir, B.Bean, J.Raynor, D.Outerbridge, D.Tucker (Tori Russell, 71 mins), D.Russell.

Booked: K.Binns (Village); Tokia Russell (PHC).

Men of the Match: Kevin Jennings (Village); Tokia Russell (PHC).

Referee: L.Raynor.