Devonshire Cougars 3

North Village 0

Domico Coddington returned to his old stamping ground to torment North Village Rams at Bernard Park yesterday.

The Devonshire Cougars striker had a major say in the visiting side’s victory, scoring what proved to be the winner. Moses Steede and substitute Charmari Burns also scored for Cougars.

“Domico is playing really well and I was very pleased with his performance,” Andrew Bascome, the Cougars coach, said. “We knew that we had to show Village respect and we had to work hard defensively so they did not get into a rhythm.”

The victory, Cougars’ first on the road this season, maintained their two-point lead at the top of the table. Cougars opened the scoring against the run of play in the eighth minute through an absolute gem from Coddington.

Kenneth DeSilva, the Cougars winger, supplied a cross that was met by the thunderous right boot of Coddington, giving Misheal Paynter, the goalkeeper, no chance.

Village did not panic, though, and had midfielder Jonathan Briers done better with Keishen Bean’s cross at the far post, they would have been back on level terms. Rams suffered another setback in the 33rd minute when Nacori Smith, the midfielder, pulled his hamstring and was replaced by Jahzardae Samuels.

Cougars went straight for the jugular after the interval and Moses Steede, the Cougars midfielder, made the points safe in the 50th minute with a 30-yard volley that took a slight deflection. Village were denied at the other end with their first shot on target when Samuels had a goal-bound effort cleared off the line. Cougars should have been celebrating again after Coddington slipped a pass to Moses Steede that left him with the goalkeeper to beat.

However, after dribbling a few yards and picking his spot, Steede was denied by Paynter’s foot. There would be no denying Cougars, however, moments later and again it was Coddington who provided the spark. Gaining possession deep in the Village half, Coddington dribbled to the touchline, and crossed for Burns, the substitute, who tapped in with his very first touch.