SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — Black Star FC held off Newell United to take the St Elizabeth Wray and Nephew Major League 4-3 on aggregate following a thrilling 2-2 draw in the second leg of the final at Appleton Estates, Siloah, on Sunday.

Black Star had edged to a 2-1 win over Newell in the final’s first leg a week earlier at STETHS.

The Black River-based Black Star were winning the parish title for the second year in a row.

Both teams will now turn their attention to the JFF’s South Central Confederation play-offs, with a place in the subsequent Premier League play-offs up for grabs.

Watched by a modest crowd, under cloudy skies and in good underfoot conditions, Jermaine Fletcher and Julien Nugent scored for Black Star in the 19th and 45th minutes, while Travis Vassell and Marvin Wright netted for Newell in the 34th and 77th.

As was the case in the first leg when teenager Gerald Neil Jnr was ejected, Black Star had to play much of the second half with 10 men after Fletcher picked up a second yellow card in the 69th minute.

Eager for goals, Newell pressed early but Black Star, looking the more composed and tactically aware of the two teams, gradually took control in the first half.

The opening goal followed a period of sustained pressure. Good passing was capped by Xavier Harvey’s precise cross from the left which Fletcher tapped home.

With better execution in front of goal, Black Star could have extended their lead. However, the hard-running Newell kept coming and reaped reward when a cross from the right left the Black Star defence at sixes and sevens with Vassell getting the vital touch over the line in a goal-mouth melée.

However, with the referee preparing to signal the half-time break, Black Star regained their lead with arguably the best move of the game. A patient, short-passing combination which built from midfield, right to left across the face of goal, ended with Nugent’s sublime right foot shot nestling in goalkeeper Adrian Wellington’s left-hand corner.

The second half started at a frenetic pace with Newell running hard at the Black Star defence. The powerful Lyngarley Vassell came close in the opening seconds of the half, his header just missing following Delojay Linton’s determined run and accurate cross.

And breaking free at the other end, Harvey came close to pushing Black Star further ahead, but his powerful right foot shot rebounded off the cross bar.

The ejection of Fletcher added momentum to Newell’s attacks and their second goal followed considerable pressure. Wright, breaking free of the Black Star defence, saw his powerful, angled shot parried by goalkeeper Everaldo Walters, but only as far as the inside netting of his left-hand post.

Still one goal behind on aggregate, Newell went into overdrive but to no avail as a relieved Black Star celebrated at the end.

“The road was very hard, but we came through,” said Black Star coach Fitzroy Ambursley.

Losing coach Kevin Lindo, while disappointed at the loss, took solace that his team is into the South Central Confed play-offs.