Devonshire Cougars 4 Young Men’s Social Club 3

Devonshire Cougars survived a late fightback to edge Young Men’s Social Club in a seven-goal thriller at Devonshire Rec on Monday night.

Mosiais Mills, son of Cougars coach Mark Mills, led the home team’s charge with two goals, with Chae Brangman and Kydan Browne also getting their names on the scoresheet.

Social Club replied through goals from Zeiko Lewis, substitute Clay Darrell and Josh Hardtman.

The win moved Cougars up to fifth in the Premier Division and coach Mills was happy with his side’s progress.

“We were sloppy with our gameplay but I am glad for the three points to get us moving in the league,” he told The Royal Gazette.

Deputising Social Club coach Marcelos Thomas hailed his player’s efforts despite coming up just short on the night.

“I think we played well and we possessed the ball for long periods of time and I was happy with it,” he said. “It’s unfortunate with the result but I can’t fault these guys for effort.”

Cougars made a dream start when Mills put them ahead in the second minute after running onto Jayuri Fox’s through pass and lashing the ball past goalkeeper Ryan Evans.

Evans then made an excellent save at his near post to thwart Mills after he was put through on goal by Domico Coddington’s cheeky flick in the box.

After finally regrouping, Bluebirds enjoyed a good spell with Malique Wilson bringing off a brilliant save from Cougars goalkeeper Chazz Knight after the home side were caught in possession deep in their own half.

Andrew Samuels then had a shot deflected, while Hardtman was unable to direct a free header from a corner on target as Social Club continued to pile on the pressure.

Cougars went close to stretching their lead when Brangman back-heeled a rebound over the bar from close range before Coddington dragged Mills’s cross wide from inside of the area.

Social Club pressed on in search of an equaliser and were finally rewarded shortly after the restart when national team player Lewis beat Knight from an angle after dispossessing defender Jecoa Thomas and exchanging passes with Hardtman.

Hardtman then rose highest to head Lewis’s free kick but was unable to hit the target. Lewis also caused an anxious moment for Cougars when he carved out space for himself in the box but blasted over the bar.

Cougars regained the lead when Mills scored out of nothing. The forward took possession of the ball around 25 yards out and held off his pursuers before rifling a shot past the unsuspecting Evans.

Brangman then made it 3-1 shortly after when he rolled a defender in the box and drilled the ball past the exposed Evans before Mills’s hopes of a hat-trick were dashed when he was replaced after pulling up with cramp.

Determined not to go down without a fight, Social Club soldiers on with substitute Darrell and Lewis missing chances. They also had an appeal for a penalty fall on deaf ears after Darrell went down under a challenge in the area.

Darrell eventually managed to pull one back for Bluebirds with five minutes to go when he took possession of Lewis’s flick on, cut inside the box and beat Knight at the near post.

A goalkeeping blunder gifted Cougars a fourth goal in the 90th minute. Browne shot low after being picked out by substitute Cashun Brangman and his effort went through Evans’s legs.

Social Club still found the time to score again when Hardtman headed in Darrell’s cross at the back post right on the final whistle.

SCORERS

Devonshire Cougars: Mills 2, 56, Brangman 59, Browne 90

Young Men’s Social Club: Lewis 47, Darrell 85, Hardtman 90+2

TEAMS

Devonshire Cougars (4-1-4-1): C Knight 7 — J Wilson-Butterfield 6 (sub: Zion Simmons, 77min) J Thomas 5 (sub: O Smith, 69 5), L Millett 7, M Thomas 6 — Z Simmons 6 — J Fox 6 (sub: N Carmichael, 79), D Coddington 7, M Mills 8 (sub: C Brangman, 69 7), K Browne 7 — C Brangman 7 (sub: C Albouy, 77). Booked: L Millett. Substitutes not used: A Daniels, J Brimmer

Young Men's Social Club (4-2-3-1): R Evans 5 — K Smith 5 (sub: C Woolridge, 89), A Simons 5, A Samuels 5, T Butterfield 6 — R Parris 7, Z Lewis 8 — G Butterfield 6 (sub: A Matthews, 65 5), J Smith 6, M Wilson 5 (sub: K Smith, 77) — J Hardtman 7. Substitutes not used: Q Simmons, B Swan

Referee: A Francis