Tyrell Burgess scored an impressive header and substitute Demetri Daniels added another soon after as North Village Rams opened their league campaign with a deserved win at Bernard Park.

Hamilton Parish had the better of the opportunities in the first half but failed to capitalise as Shayne Hollis and Donovan Thompson wasted good chances.

Village made them pay in the second half when Burgess was gifted a free header from a Pierre Smith corner in the 51st minute and powered his header past his cousin Nigel Burgess in the Parish goal.

Village sealed the points in the 63rd minute when Daniels, who replaced Nacori Smith just two minutes earlier, nodded home a header from six yards after a shot on goal was blocked and Daniels quickly pounced on the rebound.

“The difference in the second half was that we did put away a couple of the chances early and it settled us a little bit,” said Ralph Bean Jr, the Village coach.

“I think we got better as the game went on so it was a good performance.

“Three points are always a plus, but it is good to see a good performance also, which is something to build on.”

Burgess certainly gives his coach some options with his ability to play in either defence or attack. He started on the right flank and went into the striker’s spot when Jason Lee went off in the 77th minute.

“He’s a very versatile player, we had one or two guys out in the attacking third and were able to deploy him in that position and he did well in his first game up front for a little while,” Bean said.

Village, who beat Parish 3-2 in their opening Dudley Eve match recently, looked a different team in the second half. Burgess almost added a second goal minutes later when he raced across a flat-footed Parish defence before lifting his shot over Burgess, the Parish goalkeeper, only to see it skim the crossbar.

The Rams then needed a brilliant save from goalkeeper Troy Hall Jr to preserve their one-goal lead. Chris Caisey struck a sweet shot from the left corner of the penalty box that looked headed for the far top corner before the outstretched Hall turned it around the post.

Two minutes later Daniels, a summer transfer from Devonshire Cougars, put the points in the bag. Burgess had another chance to score a second, this time putting a glancing header wide from in front of goal.

Then Smith went close in the closing minutes when he raced through down the left before steering his low effort inches wide of the far post after his angle was cut by the advancing Burgess.

Tyrell Burgess was then denied early in the first half when Burgess, the goalkeeper, dived full stretch to his right to turn a shot around the far post.

Parish went close on a few occasions themselves as Thompson headed wide of the far post, then scooped a shot over the bar from 18 yards after making some space for himself against some tight marking.

Shayne Hollis, the Parish captain, then wasted a couple of good chances, shooting over and then into the side-netting. Thompson then had another good chance late in the half when he dragged a shot wide with just the goalkeeper to beat.