ST JAMES, Jamaica – Maldon High School will have to sweat out the next 48 hours and hope for a minor miracle if they are to qualify for the second round of the ISSA daCosta Cup for the first time in their history.

Maldon High came within seven minutes of booking their place on Tuesday but gave up a late goal and were held 1-1 by a resilient St James High in a rescheduled game played at Irwin High.

Maldon needed to win the game and take the 32nd and final spot in the second round of the competition but had to settle for a draw and must now hope Cornwall College will fail to beat St James High on Thursday.

Renaldo Gallimore had given Maldon High the lead in the 61st minute but Kenou Gram came off the St James High bench to snatch a point in the 83rd minute and spoiled the party.

The point saw Maldon High finish their schedule on 17 points in second place in Zone A, two more than Cornwall College who must win if they are to join Zone A winners Irwin High in the second round.

Maldon High, who lost all seven games last season and lost just once this season, in their opening game, extended their unbeaten run in the competition to nine games with Tuesday’s draw.

Gallimore gave them hope when he curled a shot from just outside the 18-yard area bending it into the top left hand corner.

The euphoria lasted for a short time before Nicholas Drummond was sent off by referee Delroy Harding and St James capitalised on the advantage but had to wait until late in the game to reap any rewards.

Shamoy Campbell the Maldon goalkeeper who made two brilliant stops minutes before, dropped the ball as he was in the motion to throw it out and Gram pounced stabbing it across the line, a dagger to the hearts of the Maldon High hopes.

Tuesday’s results

Zone A

Maldon 1, St James 1

Zone F

May Day vs Bellefield @ May Day- not played

Zone M

Denbigh 0, Glenmuir 5

Zone N

Winston Jones vs Kemps Hill @ Sunset Playfield, Knockpatrick