Devonshire Colts breathed a sigh of relief after surviving their first season back in the Premier Division.

Colts started yesterday’s final weekend of the season one point ahead of Southampton Rangers and needing a victory against Boulevard Blazers at Police Field to be certain of top-flight football next season.

They need not have worried, however, with Rangers suffering a 3-1 defeat at home to PHC Zebras and will now join Hamilton Parish in suffering relegation to the First Division.

Colts made a strong start to the season, which proved to be a huge factor in keeping them up, considering they managed to win just one of their last nine matches.

They found themselves on the back foot against Boulevard, who also gained promotion last season, with Blazers striking the post twice early in the first half through striker Ian Coke.

At the other end, Ryan Purnell, the Colts forward, struck a rasping drive from distance which was pushed behind for a corner by Deaz Chambers, the Boulevard goalkeeper. Boulevard striker Mark Smith also missed a good chance, firing wildly over the crossbar with a left-foot shot from close range.

After the break, Smith threatened again after a goalmouth scramble with a header that was blocked en route on goal. The big marksman was replaced shortly afterwards with the more mobile Sergio Richardson.

Boulevard pulled ahead on 61 minutes when a ball from deep was met with a glancing header by Coke that gave Gregory Rose, the Colts goalkeeper, no chance. Coke then went close to adding a second when he was picked out in the box by an inviting pass by Boulevard substitute Sergio Richardson, but the striker’s header drifted just wide of Rose’s left-hand post.

Free-flowing football was at a premium at Police Field, with both sides struggling to keep possession, although Colts kept pushing for an equaliser and found it in the final minute when Kyle Jones scrambled the ball home.

Teniko Eve, the Colts defender, believed his team had shown plenty of character in their fight for survival despite struggling to pick up points.

“I really think we can rebuild for next season and will be a lot stronger,” Eve said. “We never gave up and showed a lot of fight to find an equaliser late on.”

Eve added: “We’ve had a lot of injuries this season and that definitely hindered us. But we kept believing in each other and we’re delighted to have stayed up.

“Next season I think you will see a different Colts and I feel as though we could be contenders.”

TEAMS

Boulevard (4-4-2): D Chambers — Z Stovell, D Smith, I Mallory, T Butterfield — K Smith, N Smith, A Famous (sub: Makari Smith, 82min), D Taylor (sub: M Brangman, 86) — I Coke, Mark Smith (sub: S Robinson, 71). Substitutes not used: M Brangman, S Fostin, A Smith, Makari Smith. Booked: D Smith.

Devonshire Colts: (4-4-2): Rose — T Eve, J Butterfield, V Lambe, K Butterfield — L Symonds, K Jones, E Smith, T Foote (sub: E Wilkins, 65) — R Purnell, Z Darrell (sub: Q Simmons, 75). Substitutes not used: D Lambe, M Doucet, J Paynter, C Trott, Q Simmons.

Referee: E Holmes.