The race for promotion in the Tobago Football Association(TFA) First Division competition has never been so close in recent memory.

The latest standing show that six out of the 14 teams are still in the hunt for the two automatic promotion spots and one playoff position up for grabs. Youth Stars United (48 pts) still remains favourite to gain promotion to the Premier Division as they have maintained their four-point gap on second place Hills United on 44 points.

Raul Trotman scored a double and one each from Kirn Harris and Uriah Palmer swept Youth Stars to a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Golden Lane at Plymouth. Hills kept up the pressure on the leader with a last gasp 2-1 win over Signal Hill later in the week at Signal Hill with goals from Keon Boatswain and Kandel Joefield in injury time. Omale Jackson responded for Signal Hill.

Third place Carnbee-Mt. Pleasant however ran into NLCB Mt. Grace who was not in a charitable a mood even though they are not in the hunt for promotion. Just as they did last season at the same stage, CMP looked flat and uninspiring and fell to a shock 2-0 defeat at Plymouth.

Kurt Cromarty and Keishon Charles found the net for their team in the second half to leave CMP frozen on 41 points from 21 matches.

Bethel United and Earlbrokes are locked in fourth place on 39 points from 21 matches as both registered comfortable wins in their latest encounters. Bethel whipped Goodwood United 4-1 at Richmond while Earlbrokes dismissed Moriah Youths 5-0 at Plymouth. Anton Simon's double, a single strike from Jason Surrey and an own goal ensured that Bethel United stay in touch with the front runners. Earlbrokes, on the other hand, was always in cruise mode as they brushed aside Moriah with a hattrick from Brindsley Reid and a double from Nolan Orr.

The other team still in contention, HV Milan, 36 points from 20 matches, was gifted three points without breaking a sweat when Mason Hall failed to show for their match at Plymouth.

In the week's other game, Golden Lane continued their roller-coaster form with a 2 -1 victory over Federal Northside FC at Dusty Park. Anton Balfour and Imla Taylor found the net for Golden Lane while Joel Harry responded for Northside.

In the only two games that were played in the Premier Division, St Clair's Coaching School, who has already sewn up the League title came from behind to defeat Georgia FC 4-1 at Plymouth. Coaching School responded like true champions with a double from Kino Proctor and one each from Jelani Turner and Jerome Toby after Nyron Orr had given Georgia the lead in the 31st minute.

Akeem Baynes scored a double for 1976 FC Phoenix to ensure his team a share of the points as they battled to a 2-2 draw against Stokely Vale at the same venue.

Ronako Jack and Akeilon Murphy responded for Stokely Vale to keep both teams above the bottom three of Leeds United, Black Rock FC and Charlotteville Unifiers.