Dandy Town 1 Boulevard 1

(Dandy Town won 5-4 on penalties)

***

Dandy Town followed up their Premier Division title triumph with a penalty shootout victory over ten man Boulevard in the Martonmere Cup.

Winger Quadir Maynard saw his penalty saved by goalkeeper Treadwell Gibbons to hand the trophy to Hornets at the National Sports Centre's (NSC) North Field on Saturday.

Blazers sent the game to penalties when midfielder Niko Smith fired home in the dying seconds to cancel out Ricco Wells' first half opener for Hornets.

Despite the Martonmere Cup now being a Player Development League (PDL) competition, both teams fielded strong teams with most of the players on show having first team experience.

Although Hornets controlled much of the second period, it was Blazers who dominated early on and should have taken a first minute lead but Ajani Gibbons saw his weak penalty kick easily saved by Gibbons.

Micah Clemens, who was sent off in the second half for two bookable offences, won his side the penalty after being hauled down in the box. Minutes later Maynard also struck the outside of the post after a marauding run down the left wing.

Dandy Town coach Juma Wilkinson said his team had shown plenty of character to come through and win the shootout, especially after conceding an equaliser so late on.

"It was a nerve-wracking finish to the game but we came through," he said. "A lapse of concentration in the final cost us and we had to do it the hard way.

"We showed a lot of character in the penalty shootout.

"There's a lot of young talent coming through at Dandy Town right now, it's a bit like the youth explosion of a few years ago.

"A lot of praise has to go to our former coaches like Devarr Boyles, Scott Morton and Maurice lowe for the good work they did."

Dandy Town: T.Gibbons, J. Peniston, G.Dyer, E.Simons, K.Lathan, S.Brown, J.Swan, G.Butterfield, R.Wells (D.Williams, 85), J.Stowe, K.Hurdle (D.Ming, 83)

Substitutes not used: B.Anthony, R. Furbert, E.Outerbridge

Goals: R.Wells, 21

Boulevard: R.Broadbelt, A.Gibbons, N.Smith (K.Easten, 90) Q.Maynard, A.Simmons, A.Nelson, R.Burgess, N.Smith (A.Francis, 74), I.Coke (D.Taylor, 76), D.Simmons, M.Clemens

Substitutes not used: T.Wilson, Z.Stovell

Red Card: M.Clemens

Yellow cards: R.Broadbelt

Goals: N.Smith, 90

Referee: T.Evans

Man-of-the-match: J.Peniston (Hornets)

Dandy Town: T.Gibbons, J. Peniston, G.Dyer, E.Simons, K.Lathan, S.Brown, J.Swan, G.Butterfield, R.Wells (D.Williams, 85), J.Stowe, K.Hurdle (D.Ming, 83)

Substitutes not used: B.Anthony, R. Furbert, E.Outerbridge

Goals: R.Wells, 21

Boulevard: R.Broadbelt, A.Gibbons, N.Smith (K.Easten, 90) Q.Maynard, A.Simmons, A.Nelson, R.Burgess, N.Smith (A.Francis, 74), I.Coke (D.Taylor, 76), D.Simmons, M.Clemens

Substitutes not used: T.Wilson, Z.Stovell

Red Card: M.Clemens

Yellow cards: R.Broadbelt

Goals: N.Smith, 90

Referee: T.Evans

Man-of-the-match: J.Peniston (Hornets)