The different reactions from the teams as the final whistle blew couldn’t have been more contrasting as One Love celebrated with their fans whilst the Islanders sat quietly on their bench, shocked, stunned and facing a tongue lashing from Avondale Williams.

The result could have and probably should have been different as the Islanders squandered late chances to at least snatch a draw, but in reality, the One Love outfit deserved their moment.

They are a new, fit, confident, footballing side under Coach Marc Savage and matched the Islanders in speed skill and tactical ability, coming from falling behind twice to grab the points.

A Henroy Mitchell brace either side of an Andy Davis own goal had given the Islanders a 2-1 half time advantage. However, the Islanders second had come almost immediately after One Love had squandered an identical chance at the other end and the warning signs were there.

Mitchell didn’t give up on a through ball, beat the advancing keeper Craig Sinclair, with a deft touch and held off a strong challenge from the last defender, Robinson, to fire home from an acute angle.

Even though the game was fairly evenly matched, the crowd sensed it would take something special from One Love to gather anything from the game now and that magical moment arrived seven minutes into the second half when Richard Morgan unleashed an unstoppable 25 yard dipping and swerving half volley that gave Shain Henry no chance in the Islanders’ Goal.

“We were desperate for the equalizer so when the ball came across I hit it with a lot of pace. I knew we needed the equalizer and with the dip it gave the keeper no chance,” commented Morgan.

At two all it was now anybody’s game and the intensity from both side picked up.

One Love was harassing the Islanders into mistakes, the midfield battle was not for the faint of heart and chances went begging at both ends before One Love was awarded a penalty for handball.

By now the nerve ends were jangling, Monty Butler, now in goal, adding to the pressure with gamesmanship. The usually reliable Collin Green stepped and fired his shot wide.

To their credit, One Love kept going, pushing the Islanders back, forcing the play and getting reward for the effort with another penalty.

This time Butler was booked for his antics as Robinson decided he would take responsibility. He stepped up and calmly sent Butler the wrong way as his low drive smashed into the net to spark the celebrations.

“It felt very good to see the ball go in,” he said. “We stuck to our game plan, kept pressing them and came away with our reward.”

Coach Savage was full of praise for his team. “It’s a special moment, the guys played a very good game,” he stated. “In the first half we were a bit lackadaisical, but got it together in the second half and we came out victorious. I always tell them the game is a mental thing and once we get that right we can take it to anybody.”

With the win, One Love are just six points behind the Islanders, but with only four games to go, One Love will be hoping that one of the other teams can now lift their game and inflict another defeat on the Islanders.

Following their stern talking to by Williams and knowing the Islanders, though, I would not like to be the next team they come up against.