Boulevard 0

Devonshire Cougars 4

Can anyone dam Kwame Steede's free-flowing flood of goals?

The Martonmere man-of-the-moment's brace against Boulevard took his tally to a staggering eight, having already sunk Colts and Trojans with hat-tricks this season.

Cougars' third consecutive victory secured them a semi-final berth, but for Boulevard the outcome of this match was almost an irrelevance, as it marked their first since the death of their inspirational skipper Shaki Crockwell.

Rescheduled to give the grieving outfit an extra-week to emotionally prepare for life without their talisman, the fixture was always going to be a real test of character for John Rebello's men.

With defending champions Cougars cruising on a crest of a wave and Boulevard without a string of first choice players, not even the most one-eyed Blazers supporter expected anything other than defeat. Yet in spite of the scoreline there was a surprising sense of victory emanating from Blazers who gathered in a touching team huddle on BAA Field as the crowd wilted away, knowing they had just overcome the most challenging hurdle they will surely encounter this season.

A minute's silence remembering Crockwell may have preceded play, but there was nothing respectful about the way Boulevard set about the Big Cats during a high-octane opening 20-minutes, where they really should have taken the lead.

Closing down in packs with every challenge full-blooded, Boulevard began the game with a real urgency, with Cougars' defence decidedly shaky against the tempestuously talented Angelo Simmons.

More than once the animated forward, hanging ominously off the last man's shoulders, caused indecision between Kijuan Franks and Ijahman Mallory who seemed terrified of his searing pace.

Slipping past Franks far too easily at the by-line before slicing his way through another marker, Simmons should have crafted a goalscoring chance, but his cut-back was too close to Ricardo Brangman who gleefully smothered the ball.

Moments later it was Simmons again who took advantage of lack of communication between Franks and Mallory before releasing Takeyhi Walker whose right-wing cross flew menacingly across the goalmouth, requiring only the slightest touch.

The bombardment seemed to shock Cougars into life and they gradually started to impose their sharp, direct passing game rather than try and match the highly charged tempo of their opponents.

Just before the half-hour, Boulevard's inexperienced keeper Randy Broadbent spilled a routine effort from distance in front of Randy Robinson, who hammered his shot against the crossbar. It seemed Broadbent's blip would not be punished until the ball dropped invitingly to Christopher Caisey who from the edge of the box curled a fine effort into the top right-hand corner.

It was a cruel blow for Blazers who up until that point had more than matched Cougars, if not through finesse, by sheer effort, endeavour and a strong spirit that should bode well for their upcoming league campaign.

Early on in the second period Steede doubled Cougars' advantage with a glancing header past Broadbent following a exquisitely floated free-kick by Darius Cox. Steede, again at his two-touch best, was the first to react to another error by Broadbent tapping home from close range after the hapless keeper fumbled Omar Butterfield's long-range strike.

Admirably, Boulevard courageously continued the fight but the gulf in class showed as the game wore on with Omar Butterfield, spotting Broadbent off his line, capping off his delightful display with a 'Beckhamesque' chip from 30 yards.

Devonshire Cougars: R.Brangman, D.Cox, I.Mallory (DeShield 75), K.Franks, J.Butterfield, O.Butterfield, A.Gibbons (T.Steede 83), C.Caisey, R.Robinson (Goddard 75), K.Steede, S.Minors.

Boulevard Blazers: R.Broadbent, S.Brimmon, K.Butterfield, C.Matthews, S.Worrell, C.Trott, R.Burgess (W.Place 70), D.Taylor (N.Smith 82), T.Walker, A.Simmons, I.Coke (R.Saltus 70).

Yellow Cards: K.Butterfield, R.Broadbent (Boulevard).

Men of the match: C.Matthews (Boulevard), O.Butterfield (Devonshire Cougars).

Referee: Jenny Villamarin.