Cornwall College were given a big lifeline for to qualify for the second round of the ISSA daCosta Cup football competition after Maldon High wasted a glorious opportunity to make progress, giving up a late goal against St James High on Tuesday at Irwin High for a 1-1 draw.

Maldon High needed to win the game to ensure safe passage to the second round for the first time in school history, but were held by out-of-contention St James High and must now hope for a miracle.

The 32nd and final spot in the second round will be decided on Thursday when Cornwall College takes on St James High at Jarrett Park where a win would see them advance.

Maldon are now on 17 points from their 10 games, two more than Cornwall College who will try to avoid missing the second round for the second time since 2013.

Renaldo Gallimore gave Maldon High the lead in the 61st minute but second-half substitute Kenou Gram scored in the 83rd minute for the schools to share the points.

Gallimore curled a shot from just outside the left side of the 18 yards area bending it into the top left-hand corner to give Maldon High hope.

Maldon however went down a man in the 68th minute when referee Delroy Harding sent off Nicholas Drummond.

Gram who is a regular starter snatched the equaliser after a mistake by Shamoy Campbell the Maldon goalkeeper who had made two brilliant stops minutes before, he dropped the ball as he was in motion to throw it out and the St James player pounced on it and stabbed it across the line.