The drama unfolded in the dying moments of regulation time, Navy 2-1 up. Customs were seeking the equaliser, and the Rahul Singh-Adolf Colaco combination seemed to have delivered. Rahul crossed in from the right, and a spread-eagled Adolf struck the ball in. From the spectator's box, the goal looked good. But referee Blaise Monteiro cut short the Customs' chest bumps by disallowing the goal. His contention was the ball had come off Adolf's leg.

The livid Customs players soon surrounded Monteiro. Menacingly, they advanced, forcing a conference with second umpire Nasir Khan. After a brief discussion, Monteiro reversed his decision!

Now it was Navy's turn to remonstrate. Theyrightly felt cheated, as Monteiro, a few yards away, was obviously in better position to see the action. Khan was over 30 yards away and the players had their backs to him.

The Navy team walked off, and the coach said they wanted no further part of the action. But after organisers, chief among them international referee Peter Menezes, pleaded with the bench, Navy sportingly agreed to continue.

Seeing what followed, the Navy decision offers a moral for the philosophers among us. Navy were swamped in the tie-break, after extra time failed to produce goals. Customs custodian Anson Thomas brought off two great saves, while Rahul, Vijay Alphonso, Stanley Fernandes and Adolf slotted home. One could not help feeling Navy deserved a better deal. They dominated the match, as the sluggish Customs withered in the scorching heat. Robert Bara and D Bara put them up 2-0, and the wittier scribes were already suggesting headlines: Navy ney Customs ka Bara bajaya.

Customs were a trifle late in releasing the ball,and if not for Anson Thomas' save under the bar in the second half, it would have been curtains.

With forwards Suresh Pereira and Errol D'Silva, both India probables, off colour, it was left to halves Rahul and Adolf to fire Customs' first salvo, in the second half. Adolf's crisp hit from the left was blocked by custodian R Prasad, but Rahul hit home the rebound.

Tatas clinched third place in another tie-break, defeating Rizvi 6-5.

AWARDS

Most promising player: Asad Khan (Rizvi); Most promising schoolboy: Avalon D'Souza (Stanislaus); Best goalkeeper: M Prasad (Navy); Player of the final: R Bara (Navy); Player of the tournament: Errol D'Silva (Customs); Best player from Bandra: Suresh Pereira (Customs).