Devonshire Cougars 1

North Village 0

Devonshire Recreation Club erupted in celebration after Machi Battersbee’s stoppage time winner earned the home team their first league victory of the season over ten men North Village last night.

The Cougars midfielder headed the ball across the line in a goalmouth scramble with virtually the last touch of the game to give the hosts the victory their dominant display warranted. Victory, temporarily at least, lifted them one place off the bottom of the Premier Division where they have been for much of the season.

Cougars defended superbly, dominated possession, created more chances than the visitors, and with more composure and sharper finishing could have easily come away with a wider margin of victory.

Village had their chances, and seemed destined for a share of the spoils until Battersbee struck the late winner.

The visiting side were forced to play the final 33 minutes a man short after Tareeko Wilson, the centre back, was sent off after being shown two yellow cards inside of a minute.

Cougars, who were without the injured Kijuan Franks and started with Moses Steede on the bench, have now taken four points from their last two games.

It was Village though who came out firing on all cylinders, going straight for Cougars’ jugular.

Ricardo Brangman, the Cougars golakeeper, was kept on his toes as Village mounted wave after wave of attacks in search of the breakthrough.

Brangman stooped low to save Pierre Smith’s angled drive and then raced off his line to beat Keston Lewis, the Village striker, to a through ball into the penalty area.

The Cougars goalkeeper was also tested when Shayne Hollis, Lewis’s strike partner, had a go from 20 yards.

Having weathered the storm, Cougars took control of midfield and their best chance of the half fell to Lovintz Tota, the midfielder, who fired the ball just over during a counter attack.

•Paget came away with all the spoils in the First Division encounter at Devonshire Recreation Club last night.

The visitors led 1-0 at half-time through Kushae Hypolite’s twelfth minute strike.

Y’Ron Astwood then made the points safe when he doubled Paget’s lead from the penalty spot in the 57th minute.