North Village 1

Dandy Town 0

Sammy DeGraff kept his cool from the penalty-spot to earn North Village a well-deserved victory against Dandy Town at Bernard Park.

A rash challenge by Hornets' skipper Denis Zuill on Village newboy Dwyia Blyden in the second-half saw referee Anthony Mouchette point to the spot, with DeGraff making no mistake with his retaken penalty.

Hornets huffed and puffed looking for the leveller but Village keeper Jason Williams was rarely troubled with his defence well marshalled by a streamlined-looking Kofi Dill.

Ralph Bean had earlier missed a guilt-edge opportunity, making a mess of Blyden's left-wing centre with the goal at his mercy.

Rams' skipper found himself completely free at the back post but casually clipped his shot against the post before bundling the ball into the net using his arm, with the goal disallowed.

Fortunately for the talisman, who was forced off with a dead-leg in the first-half, his profligacy did not come back to haunt him with Village's victory keeping them breathing down the necks of tabletoppers PHC.

Notoriously hard to please, coach Elliott Jennings was content with his side's afternoon's work, with Rams showing glimpses of the easy on the eye play he craves from his men.

"We missed a couple of gifts in the first-half but I saw flashes of the football I want to see us play," said Jennings. "In some respects it was a hard fought victory and it keeps us in the hunt behind PHC.

"The team's getting stronger and the talent is definitely there. We also have some very good college players to comeback around Christmas to strengthen us further."

Hornets' keeper Jason Smith was forced to pull off a flying save at the end of the first-half to deny Robert Wilson's speculative long-range volley, while Ottis Steede smacked a shot from distance that rattled Village's crossbar.

The second-half saw impish midfielder Jemeiko Jennings pull the strings for Village who had to withstand some late pressure from the visitors.

North Village: J. Williams D.Simons K.Dill R.Wilson R.Spence M.Hansey K.Jennings S.DeGraff D.Blyden V.Tankard (J.Boyles) R. Bean (J.Jennings)

Dandy Town: J.Smith D.Signor K.Simmons (L.Tucker) D.Zuill E. Signor O.Steede S.Smith S.Tuzo (J. Furbert) L.Holder (C.Anderson) A.Russell L.Dill M.Crockwell

Referee :Anthony Mauchette

Bookings: Keith Jennings (Yellow) North Village

Men of the match: Jemeiko Jennings (North Village), Jason Smith (Dandy Town)