The unbeaten run of Avenues United in local football circles was extended last Friday night at the Victoria Park, when System 3 blew their chances of toppling the defending champions.{{more}}

Avenues, who have stayed unbeaten for three seasons in the Premier Division of the National Club Championships, were pushed by the youthful and determined System 3 outfit.

With a combination of the skillful Azhino Solomon, Kyle Edwards, Oalex Anderson and Vasbert Ledger in their attacking formation, System 3 threw down the gauntlet to Avenues at the get go, making their intentions clear.

But System 3 failed to supply that decisive pass in the attacking third, which meant they had nothing to show for their midfield dominance.

System 3 then threw their game plan through the window, which allowed Avenues a peep in.

Myron Samuel took advantage of a lapse in the System 3 defence to slot home the opening goal in the 43rd minute.

On the resumption, the aging midfield of Avenues began to wither under the speedy System 3 quartet, as inroads were created in the Avenues backline with frequency.

A fierce shot from Ledger was parried to the feet of Solomon who roofed the ball in the net, as parity was attained.

Anderson floored a sitter soon after Solomon’s equalizer, with Avenues looking ragged.

Like true champions, Avenues clawed their way back into the match, but System 3 still looked the more threatening.

Against the run of play, second half substitute Wilron Joseph, benefitting from indecision from the System 3 defenders, namely Ezra Alleyne, toe poked the ball over the goal line in the 76th minute.

The drama was left for injury time, when Solomon got on the end of a ball over the top to slam his left foot shot past Dwaine Sandy in the Avenues’ goal, as the battle finished 2-2.

Avenues and System, along with Layou, are the three unbeaten teams thus far in the 2013 premiership.

It was both Avenues’ and System 3’s first match in the “BIG Eight” of the competition, which also involves Je Belle, Hope International, BESCO Pastures, GTM Prospect, Layou and Campdonia Chelsea.

The eight emerged from the preliminary phase of the competition.

The eight teams are going in search of the $10,000 winner’s purse. (RT)