DESPITE being held to a 1-1 draw by Portsmouth, Christian Pen inched into the semi-final of the LIME St Catherine Major League with two rounds remaining.

Christian Pen lead Zone B with 26 points from 14 games, two ahead of Flamingo on 24 from 13 games and out of the reach of third-placed Naggo’s Head on 18 from 14 games.

Marvin Jones had given Christian Pen a 67th-minute lead before Kevin Williams equalised for Portsmouth in the 79th minute.

Christian Pen became the first semi-finalist to date and should be joined by Flamingo, whose game with Black Lions was not played over the weekend. Flamingo need just a point from three games to advance.

Third-placed Naggo’s Head who drew 1-1 with McCooks Pen, are on 18 points, but only six points adrift, and have a mathematical chance of sneaking in the semi-final ahead of Flamingo, but that task is a mammoth one.

Meanwhile, in Zone A, five of the teams still have a chance of securing two spots into the semi-finals set for March 21.

Leaders Old Harbour Bay United, coached by former national defender Linval Dixon, are in pole position on 27 points after battling to a 1-1 draw with third-placed DB Basovak on 21 points.

Only seven points separate the top five teams, but Old Harbour Bay need only a point from their two games to advance. Davis Myers scored a late equaliser for Old Harbour in the 92nd minute, denying Basovak a crucial win after Keroy Reid had scored what seems to be the winner in the 80th-minute.

De la-Vega City jumped from fifth to second spot on 22 points following their 2-1 win over Rodwood, who have slipped to fifth on 20 points, but are still in contention with two rounds remaining in which just two points separate second from fifth spot.

Oshane Edwards netted both goals for De la-Vega City in the 66th and 70th minutes, while Andrae Austin pulled one back for Rodwood in the 90th minute.

Tru-Juice also enhanced their chances with a 4-0 hammering of Wanderers to be in fourth-placed with 21 points in a real close tussle for the two spots.

Howard Brown (20th), Seivon Thompson (30th), Keneel Butler (39th), and Gawain Smith (56th) all scored for Tru-Juice against bottom-placed Wanderers, on eight points.

Meanwhile, in the Division One League, with Zone A leader Albion and Zone B front-runner New Raiders already into the semis, the battle for two spot is just as intriguing.

Albion blanked Westchester 2-0 courtesy of goals from Michael Prehaye and Ricardo Brown in the 28th and 33rd minutes and moved to 36 points, 10 clear of Travellers, on 26 points.

Third-placed Windsor Lions on 24 points got a major setback, crashing 1-2 to lowly Spanish Town Police in their bid for a semi-final spot.

In Zone B, New Raiders drew 1-1 with Blackpool, but had already qualified for the semis on 29 points, four clear of second-placed Dunbeholden (25), who whipped Hellshire 3-0 on the back of a double strike from Adrian Williams in the 42nd and 57th minutes. Evol Dillion got the opener in the 25th minute.

Watson Grove, in third on 18 points, have a game in hand against fifth-placed Upfront United on eight points.

If they win that game, Watson Grove would be on 21 points with two games remaining, and a chance of overhauling Dunbeholden for that second spot and a place in the semi-finals.