X-Roads 0 Paget 1

Captain Diaje Hart kept his composure to score a late penalty as Paget pulled well clear of the relegation zone with a win against X-Roads in St David’s on Sunday.

Hart sent X-Roads’ goalkeeper Kamran Harvey the wrong way from the spot in the 88th minute to move Paget five points clear of the bottom two much to the relief of Paget coach Antwan Russell.

“It was a difficult game today,” Russell said.

“They have a coach that eats, sleeps and breathes football. They are well organised and don’t give away too many goals. In addition, they have two good forwards so not too many teams come down here and get a clean sheet.

“I was also missing my two starting centre backs in Delray [Rawlins] and Julian [Carpenter] so I told his brother that he had to step in today and play his role. To come away with a shutout and three points is a blessing.”

The match started at a fast pace with X-Roads putting the ball in the back of the net through Kneiko Richardson as early as the fourth minute. But a player in an offside position was adjudged to have obstructed Paget goalkeeper Shaquille Bean and after consulting with his assistant, referee Anthony Francis disallowed the goal.

In the fifteenth minute Paget striker Antinori Butterfield met Hart’s low cross on the half volley but it hit the upright and bounced back into play. At the other end, X-Roads captain Paul Simons snaked his way into the box and got off a shot which Bean did well to smother at the near post.

Paget nearly scored when Nelson Carpenter executed a curling free kick from just outside the box, but it slammed against the crossbar with the goalkeeper well beaten. Just before the interval, X-Roads forward Danavon Thompson collected the ball from a throw-in but his shot went inches wide of the upright.

Both teams kept the same intensity into the second half with Paget’s Kion Knights driving in a low corner which escaped the crowded goalmouth untouched.

From the resulting goal kick, X-Roads’ Richardson would hold his head in disbelief as Bean sacrificed his body to block his goalbound shot.

X-Roads then had a brief period of dominance midway through the half with many threatening attacks on goal. After some good work by Thompson to keep possession of the ball down the right flank, Simons blasted his cross over the top from a good position.

Kahmori Brangman’s cross then bounced awkwardly to put Thompson through but the alert Bean was first in the foot chase to gather the ball just as the striker was about to pounce.

The Paget goalkeeper then denied Thompson with his body after the forward breached the away team’s defence in quick succession. Thompson was a menace every time he touched the ball and should have scored when he beat Bean to another bouncing ball but he headed wide of an empty net with the goal at his mercy.

X-Roads goalkeeper Harvey was called into action shortly after and was well positioned when defender Christian Smith’s attempted clearance was blocked by Tyler Emery. The ball ricocheted towards goal only for Harvey to make a point-blank reflex save.

With the match seemingly heading for a scoreless draw, Paget’s Daniel Cook received the ball inside the X-Roads box and cut back sharply only for defender Akim Johnston to bundle him over and give referee Francis the easiest of decisions.

Hart kept his composure to send Harvey the wrong way and give Lions the late lead.

Deep into added time, Thompson had one last chance to level but he mistimed Brangman’s cross and a weak touch allowed Bean to collect the bouncing ball.

Scorers

Paget: Hart 88 pen

Teams

X-Roads (4-2-3-1): K Harvey 7 ― T Dill 5 (sub: C Binnie, 72min), C Smith 6, S Somner 6, A Johnston 5 ― T Daniels 6, J Sousa 5 (sub: A Darrell, 90) ― K Brangman 6, K Richardson 6 (sub: S McKittrick, 84), D Thompson 6 ― P Simons 6. Booked: Brangman.

Paget (4-2-3-1): S Bean 8 ― S Smith 6, T Davis 6, N Carpenter 6, K Simons 5 (sub: R Russell, 57 5) ― B Furbert 6, A Lee 6 ― D Hart 7 (sub: K Leverock, 90), D Cook 7, K Knights 6 ― A Butterfield 5 (sub: T Emery, 57 5). Substitutes not used: M Wade, J Stovel, T Gibbons, O DeShields. Booked: Simons.

Referee: A Francis