SINGAPORE — Having waited four years to find out if they would achieve another double, Victoria Junior College (VJC) had to endure a further nail-biting 80 minutes.

But it was worth the wait for their supporters — which numbered over 1,000 — as VJC beat Raffles Institution (RI) 3-2 to lift the Singapore Sports Council-Football Association of Singapore National Inter-Schools “A” Division boys’ football Championship at the Jalan Besar Stadium yesterday.

The victory meant VJC completed their first double since 2009 after they beat Millennia Institute 2-0 to win the girls’ crown earlier, and it also made up for the disappointment of last year when they finished third.

Played over two 40-minute halves, VJC appeared to have one hand securely around the title as they surged into a 3-0 half-time lead thanks to strikes from winger Muhd Deferdauz Noordin in the 6th and 12th minutes, and Dominic Ho after 38 minutes.

However, a crazy two-minute spell saw RI whittle VJC’s lead to 3-2. A 67th-minute own goal from defender Koh Jin Wai and RI vice-captain Jesse Chang’s free-kick a minute later ensured a nerve-wracking finish to Muhd Deferdauz’s final appearance for VJC.

“When I scored, I totally forgot what happened. My mind just went blank and I saw my team-mates walking towards me,” said VJC’s man-of-the-match Muhd Deferdauz, 18.

“I missed the first three games due to asthma and I didn’t expect to do so well in this game. All our hard work since July has paid off. I’m really happy to have won this game, this is my last game and I’m really proud of the team.”

But for VJC coach Tan Yew Hwee, his side’s sloppiness in the second-half gave him some heart-stopping moments.

“The second half was one of the longest in my life. We were leading very comfortably until we gave away two silly goals,” he said. “I was hoping for another goal to settle the game. It was certainly the longest 15 minutes for me.” FELICIA QUICK