North Village 3

Boulevard 1

Jason Lee scored twice as North Village claimed their second straight 3-1 home win to climb into the top four of the Premier Division.

Playing in a wide attacking role, Lee struck late in the first half and even later in the second at Bernard Park yesterday as Village extended their unbeaten start to the season to five matches.

Boulevard, meanwhile, enjoyed a good spell midway through the first half as they sought their second victory of the campaign. Ijahmon Mallory drove a free kick just over the bar from 20 yards after Tia-vince Douglas was fouled by Tyrell Burgess.

Village always looked threatening on the break with Keishen Bean, the captain, creating openings with his pace from midfield. Village were inches from taking the lead in the 29th minute when Lee’s cross into the six-yard box failed to find striker Keston Lewis.

At the other end, Dunn-ya Taylor tested Jason Williams, the Village goalkeeper, with a well-struck long range effort which Williams saved to his right.

The opening goal finally came three minutes before the break when Lee followed up to score with a shot that went in off the far post, after Takeyhi Walker’s effort from the free kick was parried by Daniel Adams at the far post. Lee made no mistake with the rebound.

Aldonte Smith should have drawn Boulevard level right on half-time, but missed with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Boulevard continued to press hard for the equaliser early in the second half, but Jahleel Crockwell, the defender, fired wide with an hour gone.

A lapse in the Boulevard defence enabled Village to double their lead in the 79th minute when Bean converted from close range. However, the visiting side continued to battle and were rewarded in the 83rd minute when striker Sergio Robinson won a strong challenge 25 yards from goal and raced forward before driving his shot past Williams.

Boulevard threw numbers forward in search of the equaliser in the closing minutes, as it was Village added a third.

Antoine Famous brought Lee down inside the box, was sent off, and the striker dusted himself off, and stepped up to take the penalty himself, scoring to Adams’s right.

Richard Todd, the Village coach, was happy with the three points from a tough encounter.

“It’s a derby match so Boulevard and Village is a match that could go either way,” Todd said. “For us, when we settled and started to string passes together we were finding our rhythm. Early on they were doing a good job of disrupting the rhythm for us.

“Certainly it is a welcome three points and that continues to move us in a positive direction. It’s about quietly building momentum right now.

“With Jason, he’s been working hard in training and in the matches but he’s been unlucky. Today he was able to break his duck and get two and we’re hoping confidence will build with him.”