FIRST Tower United retained the Lloyds TSB Junior League under-18 Division I title in dramatic fashion at La Hauge Manor on Sunday morning.

Tower equalised deep into stoppage time to snatch the silverware from St Paul’s, who had looked the more likely to claim the victory – and the title – after taking a fifth-minute lead.

Tower, however, only required a point to retain the CW Duret Aubin Trophy.

It was a cruel blow for the Saints, but a nifty piece of skill from Island junior striker Daniel Parry, whose good footwork turned marker Danny Hughes allowing him to then hit home a low shot just inside a post.

Tough on Hughes, who was probably the game’s top performer.

The final whistle sounded shortly after leaving St Paul’s still in second place and rueing a great missed chance in the first half.

Striker Ben Ahier looked certain to add to Luke Watson’s fifth-minute goal but Tower goalkeeper Jack Jouanny stuck out his left boot to deny him.

Jouanny’s block turned out to be a title-winning save in a game of few chances, with St Paul’s having slightly the better of possession.

Tower manager Kevin Maguire said: ‘Ten minutes from the end I was resigned to the fact that we were going to lose.

It was that tight in the second half; chances were few and far between.

‘Full credit to the substitutes, when they went on they never gave the game up and when we scored it was a nice surprise.

‘Full credit to St Paul’s too, they have pushed us all the way this season and the title could have gone to either club.’ Saints manager Danny Hughes said: ‘We are all distraught, we could not have done anymore and to lose it that late was a sickening blow.

‘I still can’t believe it today.

We were so close.

Tower had just two shots on our goal and they scored from one.

‘Sadly it was just one of those days, we’re all gutted but full credit to my team I thought they were the better team on the day and they deserved to win in my opinion.’ Tower will meet Guernsey Northerners for the third consecutive year in the Junior Upton for the Portsmouth Trophy, at the Corbet Field in Guernsey on 30 April.