In a match of two wildly contrasting halves, Devonshire Cougars sent shivers through the Premier Division as they clawed back from the disadvantage of having two men sent off to maul North Village 3-0 ? two goals following the red cards.

Hosts Village also had a man ejected in the same incident as the Cougars players in the 55th minute but were unable to seize the initiative as their ten men had their hands full with the nine in opposition.

Domico Coddington ? back on the Island three days since fulfilling a professional contract in Canada ? proved the decisive difference in Cougars? clearly orchestrated plan of counter-attacking football. Two long balls from deep allowed him the space and freedom on the right wing to motor into dangerous territory where his pinpoint passes found the feet of some excellent finishers.

Village were dazed by the double whammy ? the two goals coming seven minutes apart ? and in-house bickering both on and off the field, especially as they continued to squander shot after shot, only deepened their woes.

Referee Stuart Crockwell ? yes, he is back in the middle despite ?retiring? last season ? could not have blown his whistle soon enough for the bruised home team. The red army had been comprehensively outfought and outgunned and by a side with less ammunition at their disposal; Cougars showing that it?s quality and not quantity which truly matters.

?We had to come out, get behind the ball and show our character. We knew we could do it ? no doubt about it,? declared Cougars tough skipper Kwame Steede in celebratory mood after the match.

?Since our two victories (in the Martonmere Cup) everybody was looking for good things from us and we have something to prove to ourselves. We have got enough depth that we can go all the way.?

To be honest though, judging by the first half, spectators would have been wondering if they were really watching the day?s top fixture as both clubs, perhaps a bit nervous in their opening league game, failed to settle into a steady rhythm. There were a few close calls at either end but anyone who had had a long Saturday night could have been excused for catching up on their sleep in the first 45 minutes at Bernard Park.

However, they would certainly have wanted to be wide awake for an electrifying second half which lit up in the 49th minute as Steede put Cougars one up, curling a free kick won by ? you guessed it, the crafty Coddington ? into the top right section of Village?s net. Keeper Calvin Augustus never had a chance.

Six minutes later came the pivotal incident as Village forward Damon Wade and Cougars midfielder Kori Goddard tussled all the way for a ball heading out for a Village corner. As Wade turned around after retrieving the ball, he and Goddard got into a scuffle with Cougars custodian Ricardo Brangman inexplicably running to join in rather than to separate the two.

Ultimately, all three were condemned to early showers and Cougars were forced to substitute relief keeper Dyke Lawrence for Brangman?s younger brother Lamont.

Village fans rightfully expected their team to jump at this juicy opportunity to draw the game ? if not win it ? but nothing went their way as the likes of Ralph Bean Jr., Tafari Outerbridge, Jamaul Boyles and Kaiwon Dill all rued near misses. However, the worst offender was Keith

Jennings who ? playing like he has not seen a football let alone kicked one since last season ? bizarrely miscued at least three close-range shots which he should be ashamed to have wasted.

Coddington?s determination and skill in counter-attack sealed his former team?s fate in the 73rd and 80th minutes when he outmanoeuvred defenders to lay off exquisite passes to Aljame Zuill and Mark Smith respectively, both of whom finished clinically at point-blank range.

?From the way they were pushing all their men forward trying to score, we knew we would get chances in counter-attack. Domico was definitely our man-of-the-match. he was great,? said Steede of the instrumental player who was involved in all three goals. C.Augustus, J.Thomas (Kaiwon Dill, 44 mins), K.Dill, Kentoine Jennings, S.Goater (M.Crane, 76 mins), J.Jennings, J.Boyles (V.Tankard, 82 mins), T.Outerbridge, K.Jennings, R.Bean Jr, D.Wade. R.Brangman, S.Smith, D.Cox, J.Butterfield, J.Salaam (R.Swan, 79 mins), J.Deshields, K.Goddard, K.Steede, D.Coddington, A.Zuill (M.Smith, 75 mins), L.Brangman (D.Lawrence, 55 mins). J.Thomas, K.Dill (Village); D.Coddington (Cougars). D.Wade (Village, 55 mins); R.Brangman, K.Goddard (Cougars, 55 mins). C.Augustus (Village); D.Coddington (Cougars). S.Crockwell.