CLARENDON PARK, Clarendon — Boys’ Town stayed on course to defend their Flow Champions Cup all-island Knockout title, snapping a six-game losing streak in all competitions with a 1-0 triumph over 10-man Sporting Central Academy in the second round yesterday at Brancourt.

Peter Keyes scored the lone goal in the 78th minute to give the Red Brigade their second victory over Sporting in three meetings this season and a place in the quarter-finals.

Boys’ Town won the first encounter 2-1 at Brancourt on November 1 and drew the second 0-0 in January at Collie Smith Drive.

Coach Andrew Price was happy to have ended their six-match drought.

“I’m not completely satisfied… it was not a pretty victory… we knew it was always going to be difficult coming to Brancourt, but I’m glad that as defending champions we’re into the quarter-finals,” Price said.

Boys’ Town started the better team and should have gone ahead on 25 minutes when Fabian Watkins supplied Keyes with a well-weighted cross from the right, but the latter’s header from point-blank range was directed into the waiting arms of Tristan Huntley.

As the game progressed, Sporting — who were losing for the fourth time in seven matches — grew in confidence and had two of the easiest of chances to put the game away.

The first came via the penalty spot in the 58th, after Damian Benjamin had fouled Hughan Gray in the box.

But what was a moment of joy quickly turned into sorrow when Oneke Ford saw his tame 12-yard penalty kick saved by the towering Boys’ Town goalkeeper Philmore Crumbie.

Moments later, Francois Swaby, who had by this time replaced Ford, kicked agonisingly wide with only Crumbie to beat.

And like is so often the case in football, Sporting, who had Gregory Lewis sent off in the 74th, would eventually rue those missed chances in the 78th when Keyes literally unlocked their defence.

The nippy player ghosted into the box and robbed three defenders of the ball before knocking home from the most acute of angles.