Dandy Town 2 Paget Lions 1

Dandy Town survived a flurry of late pressure to virtually secure their place in the Dudley Eve Trophy semi-finals with victory over Paget Lions at Devonshire Recreation Club on Sunday night.

Town started on the front foot as Paget left space between their defence and midfield, allowing Town to pass between the lines with Hornets captain Tomiko Goater enjoying the amount of freedom he had to manipulate the ball.

Although their early final pass was flawed, Town kept their composure in the final third on the majority of their forays forward, with Paget struggling to string more than five passes together throughout the half.

Hornets took the lead their control and decisive football deserved when Goater drove in a flat corner from the left and Colombian Yeferson Ramirez jumped highest to glance home with 15 minutes gone.

Town continued to dominate the remainder of the first half and could have doubled their lead when Lejaun Simmons and Goater played a neat one-two to create space on the edge of the Paget penalty area. Goater slipped in Quadir Maynard to fire past Shaquille Bean but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Hornets did double the lead before the interval, going 2-0 up nine minutes before half time. Maynard was found by Riley Robinson and fired a powerful low drive that deflected past Lions goalkeeper Bean.

Paget still found life difficult early in the second half, failing to keep the ball for sustained periods as Town should have made it three on a few occasions.

Ereico Outerbridge had the first of many chances, forcing the first serious save from Bean before the hour. Edry Moore then had a free-kick smash into the Paget wall before Tavez Smith scored the rebound, but he was judged offside. Paget defensive duo Delray Rawlins and Julian Carpenter improved as the game went on with both making desperate challenges to deny a Town attack led by Goater.

Goater hit the crossbar with about ten minutes remaining with a shot from close range, that would have certainly put the game to bed, but Paget battled and found a lifeline with eight minutes left on the clock.

The extra physical presence of substitute Kamau Leverock and the pace of Michael Tyler-Emery made the difference as Leverock shielded the ball for Emery to smash home from just outside the area.

Paget’s confidence picked up after breaking through a sound Town rearguard, but a combination of poor decision-making and strong defence meant Town held out for maximum points.

Town are now the only team in group A with six points after two games played and need just a draw against Boulevard later in the week to guarantee they finish top of the four-team group and progress to the semi-finals. Paget sit bottom of the group after two defeats.

SCORERS

Dandy Town: Ramirez 14, Maynard 36

Paget Lions: Tyler-Emery 82

TEAMS

Dandy Town (4-1-4-1): J Hill 6 — A Lewis 6 (sub: E Outerbridge, 46min 6), E Moore 6, Y Ramirez 7, L Simmons 7 — N Spence 6 — J Furbert 5, Q Maynard 6 (sub: Z Smith, 75), T Goater 7, R Robinson 6 (sub: D Leverock, 62 5) — D Jones Jr 6 (sub: T Smith 73). Substitutes not used: A Harvey, J Johnson.

Paget Lions (4-2-3-1): S Bean 6 — K Simons 5, J Carpenter 6, D Rawlins 5, D Frost 5 — T Davis 6 (sub: R Russell, 58 5), S Lambert 5 (sub: K Leverock, 64 6) — K Knights 5 (sub: K Hypolite, 58 6), D Hart, J Stovel 5 (sub: M Tyler-Emery, 46 6) — A Butterfield 4 (sub: S Smith, 46 6). Substitutes not used: A Lee, A Grant.

Referee: A Majors