Dandy Town 1 Devonshire Cougars 2

Devonshire Cougars striker Chae Brangman scored two second-half goals, including one in added time, to give Devonshire Cougars victory over Dandy Town at White Hill Field on Sunday.

Brangman scored in the 69th and 91st minutes either side of a Malik Joell strike to hand his side victory, with Cougars coach Mark Mills happy with the result if not the performance.

“We had a good game today but made it difficult as we didn’t take our chances,” Mills said.

“Chae is still nursing an injury but he looked good in training this week so I asked him to give me what he could. He lasted the 90 minutes and scored both goals so it's double delight for the team”.

Town settled first on the spacious field, playing quick passes through the midfield, with left back Eusebio Blankendal having success down the flank. He provided the impetus for the first threatening attack by slipping a pass to David Jones Jr. Jones put Joell through but his effort was thwarted by an alert Q’Shai Darrell in the Cougars goal as he raced off his line to block the shot.

At the other end, Jahzi Wilson-Butterfield sliced his shot wide from an angle for Cougars.

Jones held off his marker to break through the Cougars defence to round Darrell but was forced wide on an angle before getting off a weak shot which allowed Darrell to recover and collect cleanly.

Town goalkeeper Jahquil Hill was forced into making a save with his foot after a good build-up of short passes involving Mosiais Mills, Brangman and Jayori Fox resulted in the latter getting off a low shot.

Cougars continued to threaten and nearly scored when Mills was given room to shoot but his drive skimmed the upright before going wide.

Town had a chance to take the lead just before the break when Jones’s cross found Jahkari Furbert free at the back post, but he blasted wide from a good position.

Town picked up the tempo from the start of the second half with centre half Yeferson Ramirez’s powerful header from a Blankendal free kick flashing wide of the upright. Cougars mounted an attack from the resulting goal kick with Mills forcing Town goalkeeper Hill into another foot save from close range.

The Cougars duo of striker Brangman and midfielder Kydan Browne combined well and were a constant threat to Town’s defence. Brangman executed a chip over the Town defence for Browne but alert Town captain Edry Moore backtracked and, together with goalkeeper Hill, blocked the goalbound effort for a corner.

Cougars continued to apply the pressure and hit the woodwork again when Browne’s floated cross was met by a diving Matteo Turner, whose header bounced flush against the upright and was cleared.

Town should have opened the scoring when Nizigh Spence put a low cross on a plate for Riley Robinson but he slammed the ball over the bar from close range when it looked easier to score.

Cougars took the lead against the run of play in the 69th minute by way of a penalty.

Butterfield made a darting run down the left flank before attempting a cross which hit the hand of Joell. Barbadian referee Jamar Springer had no hesitation in awarding a penalty despite appeals from the Town players. Brangman stepped up and hit a scorching spot-kick, which Hill did well to get a hand to, but the shot was too powerful to stop as it rifled into the back of the net.

Brangman missed a golden opportunity to double Cougars’s lead when Browne back-heeled a ball into his path, but he hesitated which allowed Hill to dive at his feet and smother the ball. To add insult to injury, Town levelled the score from the next attack.

Joell ventured forward and met a diagonal cross with a right-footed volley which dipped under the crossbar before settling into the back of the net.

Town should have forged ahead when Blankendal’s cross found three players unmarked at the back post but Jones headed wide.

With the match heading for a draw, Cougars sealed seal the win in the first minute of added time when Browne’s precision chip over the top found Brangman. He held off his marker to sidefoot past an advancing Hill to break the hearts of a spirited Town unit.

Scorers

Dandy Town: Joell 79

Devonshire Cougars: Brangman 69, 90+1

Teams

Dandy Town (4-2-3-1): J Hill 7 — E Blankendal 6, E Moore 6, Y Ramirez 6, M Joell 6 (sub: A Bailey, 81min) — N Spence 5, Q Maynard 5 — R Robinson 6, K Davis 5 (sub: E Swan, 59 5), J Furbert 5 — D Jones Jr 6 (sub: T Smith, 90). Substitutes not used: A Harvey, O Wilson, E Peets, Z Smith. Booked: Moore.

Devonshire Cougars (4-2-3-1): Q Darrell 6 — J Thomas 6, L Millett 6, Matteo 7, O Smith 5 (sub: Z Simmons, 61 5) — M Wilson 6, K Browne 7 — J Fox 6 (sub: C Burns, 71), M Mills 6 (sub: C Albuoy, 82), J Wilson=Butterfield — C Brangman 8. Substitutes not used: C Knight, D Coddington, C Brangman.

Referee: J Springer (Barbados)