Devonshire Cougars 1 St George’s Colts 2

Zachary McGuire and Jarazinho Bassett scored in either half as St George’s Colts triumphed over Devonshire Cougars in the Dudley Eve Trophy final at Devonshire Rec on Sunday.

McGuire opened the scoring in the 20th minute, with Bassett extending the advantage in the 68th minute before substitute Charmari Burns pulled a goal back for Cougars in the 81st minute.

Bassett, who played a role in both St George’s goals, was delighted to win his second trophy with the club after winning the FA Cup in 2024.

“This is my second major trophy for St George's and I’m happy to win it,” Bassett told The Royal Gazette.

“It came through nothing but hard work from the team and we worked as a collective. I’m just glad that I could be there to help the team and take them to victory.

“The last couple of games we have had a lot of unlucky outcomes, but our main goal and focus was this trophy, so winning it can only spur us to do better things in the league.

“What proved key was sticking together as a team and following the game plan that the coach gave us. I thought we were on top of the situation for the majority of the game but we had pockets where we had to drop back, defend deep and be disciplined.”

St George’s coach Drewonde Bascome was delighted to pick up his first trophy as a coach.

“It’s exciting for me to win my first trophy as a coach and the boys did very well,” Bascome said.

"A trophy is very good but we want to be a good, consistent team in the league. Hard work won the match for us and we didn’t allow Devonshire Cougars to play by pressing high, we won a lot of balls in the half and we got the result.

“It feels good to win against my home team. I came through Cougars but this is like my home field as well, so I didn’t feel like a foreigner out here, I felt at home.”

Mark Mills, the Cougars coach, felt his players failed to show the hunger necessary to win the match in front of a home crowd.

“As a team we lacked the basic requirements of our style of play and everything was just off for us,” he said.

“The energy wasn't there and we didn’t execute our game plan. It was the worst game of football we have played this season. We just didn't show up on the day but we’ll bounce back.”

St George’s made a bright start and were duly rewarded when McGuire squeezed the ball over the line from a goalmouth scramble.

Cougars goalkeeper Chazz Knight could not hold on to a Blaiz Hall free-kick and crashed into the upright with McGuire adjudged to have forced the ball into the net on the rebound.

Cougars’s Chae Brangman then drew a brilliant save from Troy Hall Jr in a one-on-one situation before veteran forward Domico Coddington testing Hall from a free kick, with the ball taking an awkward bounce before the goalkeeper gathered it.

After going in behind Cougars made a double change at the start of the second half with Brangman and Llineiko Millett making way for Jecoa Thomas any Jayori Fox.

Despite those switches, St George’s got a number of opportunities to double their lead in the early stages of the second half, with Isai Gibbons and Blaiz Hall failing to get their shots on target.

Hall then provided the pass for Bassett to bundle the ball home after Knight had come off his line.

Cougars had a chance in the 70th minute when Mosaias Mills had the ball perfectly laid to him before his left-footer went over. Four minutes later, Hall blocked an effort from Zari Simmons when the burly midfielder charged in at goal from the right side.

Bassett, the second-oldest St George’s player at 35, received a standing ovation from the club’s fans when he was replaced in the 77th minute.

“As a senior player, it brings joy to my heart to know that my team-mates and fans appreciate me,” he said.

“I just want to keep on working hard and playing well for my team-mates and the club.”

Burns gave Cougars a fighting chance with a headed goal nine minutes to go but the St George’s rearguard stood strong to secure the victory.

SCORERS

Devonshire Cougars: Burns 81

St George’s Colts: McGuire 20, Bassett 68

TEAMS

Devonshire Cougars (4-3-3): C Knight 6 — J Brimmer 6 (sub: O Smith, 88min), M Turner 6, L Millett 6 (sub: J Thomas, 46 6), J Wilson-Butterfield 6 — M Thomas 6, Z Simmons 6, M Mills (sub: C Albouy, 90) — D Coddington 6 (sub: C Burns, 64 6), C Brangman 6 (sub: J Fox, 46 5), K Browne 6. Substitutes not used: Q Darrell, A Daniels, C Brangman, N Carmichael.

St George’s Colts (4-3-3): T Hall 6 — J Schroder 6, N Paynter 6, O Bascome 6, C Neal 6 — Z McGuire 7, L Evans 6, K Hall 6 (sub: M Simmons, 81) — B Hall 7, J Bassett 7 (sub: M Trott, 77), I Gibbons 6. Substitutes not used: K Jacobs, I Greaves, M Tucker, K Minors, D Lodge. Booked: Evans, Schroder, Trott, Simmons.

Referee: A Majors.