NATCHEZ — With the clock running down and the ball heading his direction, a simple truth went through the mind of Natchez wide receiver Trevon Chatman — the Brandon defensive back covering him had no chance.

Chatman made a leaping catch over the top of Brandon defensive back Floyd Barnes, kept his balance and raced into the end zone with 40 seconds left to give Natchez a thrilling 24-17 win over the Bulldogs.

“He was too little for me,” Chatman said of Barnes. “I had to manhandle him. I couldn’t let the team down. They were depending on me.”

Chatman’s catch concluded a clutch 78-yard drive by Natchez that began with 3:52 remaining following a Brandon punt.

Natchez converted a third and seven early in the drive and a fourth and one two plays before Chatman’s touchdown grab.

“That’s what this team does,” Natchez coach Lance Reed said. “They never quit. Every play, they play hard. I’m so proud of the effort we had to finish the game off and get the win.”

Natchez’s last-minute drive came after the Bulldogs had squandered a 10-point lead by fumbling the ball twice deep in their own territory.

Leading 17-7 late in the third quarter, Joey Bruce fumbled and Brandon recovered on the 26-yard line.

The Bulldog defense stopped Brandon from getting in the end zone, but Matthew Spencer made a 32-yard field goal to pull Brandon to within seven points.

Natchez gave an even greater gift on its next possession, as Kevin Bailey dropped a pitch and Brandon’s Nelson Adams returned the ball to the 6-yard line.

D’angelo Spina scored three plays later on a 2-yard run and Spencer’s extra point tied the game with 9:42 remaining.

After Natchez was stopped on downs on its next possession, the Bulldog defense rose up and forced a Brandon punt, which set up the winning drive.

Both teams turned the ball over four times, with three of Brandon’s giveaways coming inside the Natchez 30-yard line.

It was a crucial victory for Natchez, which improves to 5-2 overall and 1-2 in Region 3-6A.

Natchez now controls its own playoff destiny and still has a shot to finish in the top two spots in the region, which means the Bulldogs would host a first-round playoff game.

But Reed wasn’t thinking about all of that after the game. He was just relieved at the outcome.

“I’m just happy for the w,” Reed said. “It’s been a long time since we won. We’ve all been hungry for a win and we needed one badly.”

It didn’t look like a win would be that difficult for the Bulldogs in the first half, especially after Brandon’s opening drive.

Brandon drove right down the field for a touchdown on its opening possession, but Natchez dominated the half after that.

Patrick Wesley made a 22-yard field goal to put Natchez on the board before Damion Williams ran 12 yards for a score early in the second quarter to put the Bulldogs up 10-7.

Natchez closed out the half with another score, as Javon Washington found Chatman over the middle for a 15-yard touchdown strike with 1:51 remaining to put the Bulldogs up 17-7.

Chatman finished the game with seven catches for 86 yards, and the Bulldogs needed every one of them.

“I just wanted the ball,” Chatman said. “I told them if I get the ball we’re going to win. I’ve got a lot of confidence in myself.”

And after Friday’s virtuoso performance, who can blame him?