North Village Rams 7 Paget Lions 1

North Village Rams regained first place in the Premier Division at Bernard Park yesterday with this whopping, one-sided triumph over the Lions to set up a fascinating showdown with Devonshire Cougars at Devonshire Rec. on Sunday for the championship.

In the season-ending finale the Rams will enter that contest requiring just a draw to emerge winners of the title with Cougars needing nothing short of an all-out victory.

Rams, who temporarily gave up first place to Cougars — who beat St. David’s 4-1 at The Den on Friday night — struck second-from-bottom Lions early and never allowed the visitors to even dream of pulling off any stunning upset.

From the time the diminutive Shayne Hollis put them ahead 1-nil after just two minutes, Rams dominated play and proved their only intentions were to come away with maximum points and a sackful of goals to enhance their goal difference.

And on a day when Rams were in the mood for some enterprising football, there wasn’t much the visitors could do about it.

Rams pushed powerfully forward with Keith Jennings, Hollis and Jennings again having good efforts sail wide or high of the goal. And they were denied a second goal until 27 minutes of play elapsed when Jennings slipped through a tiring defence to net from close. As the Lions toiled without success the inevitable third goal came the Rams’ way with skipper Ralph Bean jr netting after slipping through the defence.

Lions saw Kenneth Durrant come close with a lob that went inches wide with Zane Hendrickson in the Rams’ goal stranded in the middle.

But otherwise it remained all Village domination as they finished the half forcing eight corners.

Keishen Bean made it 4-0 after 50 minutes before Travis Wilkinson pulled one back for the Lions.

Rams through refused to accept a 4-1 score until the end, adding three more from Keishen Bean again, goalkeeper Hendrickson who converted a penalty and then Shayne Hollis once again to finish off a day of agony for the Lions.

North Village:<$> Z.Hendrickson; J.Boyles, R.Wilson (M.Hansey, 80 min), K.Dill, R.Spence; K.Dill, R.Bean (N.Smith, 68 min), Keith Jennings; S.Hollis, K.Bean, V.Tankard (T.Outerbridge, 68 min).

Paget> W.Smith; R.Lee (O.Fough, 73 min), A.Smith, A.Anderson, N.Simons; O.Frederick, K.Durrant, T.Brown; T.Wilkinson, M.Belboda, Y.Pitt.

Men of the match: Ralph Bean (Rams); Akil Smith (LionsB>

Referee:<$> G.OBrien