Oops: Jamnabai Narsee goalkeeper Varun Niser fails to stop St Xavier's from scoring during their match yesterday. pic/Vishal Kelkar

A goalkeeper is the last line of defence. And if that last line breaks down, defeat is inevitable. That's what happened to defending champions Jamnabai Narsee when they took on St Xavier's High School (Fort) in the Div I league match of the Nike-MSSA U-16 inter-school football tournament at Azad Maidan's Schools Sports Centre yesterday.

Jamnabai's 14-year old custodian Varun Niser's loss of concentration and lack of support from his defence resulted in defending champions Jamnabai Narsee's humiliating 0-5 defeat against the Fort outfit.

At least three of the five goals could have been averted had Varun been a bit more alert. "The last goal was completely my mistake," Varun admitted after the humiliation.

"I should have been able to gather it cleanly but it went right through my fingers. Ditto was the case with the other two goals. Both of them were easy saves but they deflected off my hands and went into the goal," the teenager added.

Nevertheless the harrowed custodian insisted that he tried to give his best. "There was lack of support from the defence and I couldn't have done everything myself." he said.

Coach Oniel Kalicharan refused to put the entire blame on Varun. He said the team was short on practice due to a series of class tests.

"We don't get enough time to practice which was why we weren't able to play up to the mark today. It was not Varun's fault alone. He did his best. I am sure he will bounce back," Kalicharan said.