Clarendon Park, Clarendon — Charlemont High school’s hopes of celebrating the first major schoolboy football title in their 40-year history were delayed after inclement weather brought a premature end to the ISSA/Digicel Ben Francis Cup knockout final at Juici Field here yesterday.

The St Catherine-based Charlemont were leading Petersfield High 2-0 after the first 45 minutes courtesy of goals from Deron Wildman (13th) and Howard Barker (18th) when a waterlogged field forced referee Derron Davy to call off the contest ahead of the second stanza.

As a result of the suspension, the remaining 45 minutes will be played on Tuesday at the same venue with Charlemont retaining their two-goal cushion.

ISSA announced that the remainder of the game will be free of cost to patrons.

Earlier, Charlemont gave a spirited display as they were more enterprising and showed more promise at the start, but it was Petersfield that first went closest to breaking the deadlock in 10th minute.

It took a last-ditch effort from central defender Shackeil Fuller to deny Petersfield as he cleared the ball off the goal-line after Shawayne Barton had custodian Ajaye White beaten.

Charlemont in counting their blessings notched the goal two minutes later when goalkeeper Jeromey Monteith spilled a cross from Renardo Brown and Wildman was on hand to slot home.

They doubled the lead five minutes later when Brown again played provider with a telling pass from the right channel to Barker who fired home from inside the 18-yard box.

The heavens opened immediately after and the many Charlemont fans and their principal Garth Gayle, who were on hand to witness the display, may have thought it was a signal of the opening of the floodgates of goals.

However, despite camping out in Petersfield’s half, Charlemont failed to make the most of their dominance in possession as they created very few chances to add to their tally.

Their best chance for the remainder of the first half came in the 40th minute when Barker was allowed to get a shot off at the far post from another Brown cross, but custodian Monteith stood tall and turned the ball outside the right upright.

With the score being unchanged at the break and the heavy downpour showing no signs of ease, Davy and his team went about inspecting the waterlogged surface and later called off the game.