North Village 1 Dandy Town 1

Kwonde Lathan’s late equaliser rescued a point for Dandy Town in a thrilling encounter at St John’s Field in the Premier Division yesterday.

A Keishen Bean header against the run of play gave Village the lead at the interval and appeared to have done enough for victory until Lathan struck late on with a header of his own.

Both teams played with contrasting styles: Town adopted a more possessive approach while Village sat deep and relied on the counterattack.

Although Village would have been happy with a share of the spoils the same cannot be said for Town who should have put the game to bed, having created far more chances. Town were also denied by the woodwork during the gripping see-saw battle.

“It was a hard-fought game and I think we played really well and showed good character and guts,” Angelo Simmons, the Town captain, said.

“I think second half we really bossed the game and had a lot of chances and it was too bad I hit the post. But I want to thank my team for soldiering on and getting that goal back. It was vitally needed. A point out of this game is very important and I will take it rather than a loss.”

Shayne Hollis, the Village captain, felt his team created enough chances to win.

“Town are a tough team, but I felt we came to play today,” he said. “I would have liked the three points obviously, but we didn’t lose.”

Forward Reiko Trott had a glancing header drift just wide and a low shot saved by the legs of Village goalkeeper Tahj Bell.

However, the game turned on its head when Village took the lead on their first attack. Akim Johnston, who joined Village from First Division BAA, picked out Bean with a cross that the striker headed past Jaiden Manders, the Town goalkeeper

Kwame Steede, the Town player-coach, the blazed over after Village failed to clear their lines, while at the other end Hollis was denied as Manders pushed his low effort around the post. Town nearly grabbed an equaliser just before the half, Coke rolling his shot from a tight angle wide after being played through by Steede’s defence-splitting pass.

The home side were forced to make a substitution during the break as forward Daeshun Butterfield suffered a groin strain and was replaced by Doreko Walker. It was all one-way traffic when play resumed as Town stepped on the gas in search of a way back into the match.

Simmons had a downward header saved by Bell who then rushed off his line to collect Steede’s headed pass near the touchline just as Simmons was ready to pounce.

Bell positioned himself well to save Simmons’s swerving volley, while Walker wasted a golden opportunity when he shot from a tight angle when passing to team-mates in better scoring positions was the better option.

Town’s pressure finally told in the 81st minute when Lathan took advantage of some poor defending. Village failed to check the defender’s run into the box, Lathan rising unchallenged to head home Damon Ming’s cross.

The home side nearly grabbed a last-gasp winner. Simmons smashed substitute Jason Shrubb’s cross against the bottom of the post and Ming wasted the rebound, shooting rather than feeding the unmarked Coke in the six-yard box.

TEAMS

Dandy Town: J Manders — E Blankendal, K Lathan, G Dyer, D Ming, L Tucker, R Trott, K Steede (sub: J Shrubb, 83min), A Simmons, D Butterfield (sub: D Walker, 46), I Coke. Substitutes not used: J Martin, S Campbell

North Village: T Bell — J Thomas, T Fray, J Davis, K Knights (sub: L Dill, 64), J Briers, D Daniels (sub: T Watson, 75), A Johnston, T Durham (sub: M Thomas, 53), S Hollis, K Bean. Booked: Durham. Substitutes not used: P Castle, P Smith, C Caisey. Referee: L Raynor