Digicel T&T Pro League duo and former FA winners, Play Whe San Juan Jabloteh and Police FC both needed penalty-kicks to book their place in the quarterfinal round of this T&T Football Association FA Trophy competition in late matches on Sunday night.
Jabloteh, winners in 1998, 2005 and 2010-2011, first had to come from a goal down to earn a 1-1 draw with Tobago Football Association outfit, Bethel United, before advancing 5-3 penalty-kicks at Mt Gomery, Tobago.
Vernon Wilson had given the host a shock 17th minute lead, but Jabloteh's Shaquille Bertrand tied the scores 1-1 two minutes into the second-half to send the match to penalties, where the San Juan club prevailed.
At the St James Police Barracks Training Ground, Long Circular, goalkeeper Adrian Foncette pulled off three straight saves in the shoot-out to earn Police, champions in 1975, 1994 and 1999, its last-eight spot, 3-1 in a heated affair against a battling Guaya United.
Earlier on, Shaquille Nesbitt fired Police ahead in the 16th minute, but one minute first-half injury time, Jody Allsop drew Guaya level.
With 20 minutes left in the match, Carlon Hughes then turned in a free-kick to put the visitors ahead, but they could not hang on until the final whistle as Noel Williams headed home the Lawmen equaliser, three minutes from full-time to send the match into penalties.
For Police, Noel had his attempt saved, but Foncette came to his team's rescue with three saves and was rightfully swamped by his team, at the final whistle. However, fellow Pro League campaigners', Pt Fortin Civic failed to take its place in the last eight as it allowed a one-goal lead to slip four times and bowed out 5-4 on penalties to the Anthony Streete-coached and Pro League-bound Club Sando
Winners of five of its last six matches under interim coach former national standout Leroy De Leon, Civic opened the scoring as early as the fifth minute through forward Jamille Boatswain, only for Club Sando's Ryan Frederick to draw his team level in the 18th.
The prolific Marcus Joseph fired Civic into a 3-2 advantage on the hour mark, however, Teba Mc Knight hit back for Club Sando in the 75th, and in a topsy-turvy contest, Joseph fired in another for his team to lead 4-3 in the 79th.
But four minutes later, in the see-saw battle, Jesse Downing netted Club Sando's fourth equaliser of the match to set up penalties, where his team showed better nerves, for a 5-4 victory.
In Sunday's early matches six-time winners Defence Force, Central FC and North East Stars all won to reach in the last-eight.
Defence Force demolised Black Rock 17-1; current Digicel T&T Pro League leaders and runners-up in the last two FA finals, Central FC clobbered SKHY FC 7-0, and Japs North East Stars, edged Caledonia AIA, victors 1-0.
Last night, title-holder and four-time winners (1999, 2000, 2002, 2013-2014) DirecTV W Connection played Super League club, Stokely Vale and Roxborough Lakers entertained St Francois National, in the two remaining round-of-16 matches.
The draw for the quarterfinals take place today (Tuesday) at the T&TFA's office, Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo from 2 pm.
