North Village Rams 2 Paget Lions 2

Jalen Harvey notched a second-half brace for North Village to twice come from behind and earn a draw against Paget at Bernard Park last night.

Harvey scored in the 58th and 86th minutes for the champions, who temporarily climbed to the top of the standings on goal difference. Daniel Cook opened the scoring for Paget in the 52nd minute and Kion Knights got the second from the penalty spot in the 76th.

Village coach Calvin Dill Jr stated that while he went into the encounter hunting for three points, he accepted the outcome.

“Like I said before the game, Paget’s not going to let us win and anybody that comes to play in North Village is going to fight to the end,” Dill told The Royal Gazette.

“I was looking for the three points, but I'll take the point. I thought we gave them the goals but at the end of the day, I’m proud of my team and we just keep moving on to the next game.

“I knew that we were the better team on the night, so I knew we were going to get the equaliser both times.

“I thought we could have probably gone on to win it when we got the second goal. Credit to Paget and Antwan Russell, they kept the fight going, they got the lead and it’s too bad they couldn't keep it.

“It’s a long season, so you have to accept your battles. I’m going to tell my team, don't drop your heads.”

Russell, whose side ended a two-match losing streak, felt that failure to manage the game cost his side the victory.

“I feel like it’s two points dropped, but before the game if you would have given us a point, we would have probably taken it because of the position we were in the whole season.” the Paget coach said.

“Credit to the guys, they put in a good shift tonight. I couldn’t ask for more as far as the energy was concerned.

“Maybe a little game management was a little immature, but as far as the rest of the game, I can’t really complain.

“It’s no secret we’re in a bad position in the league. It’s not that we’ve been playing bad football, it’s just been unlucky. Unlucky in some of our actions and also in some of the calls, but tonight I can't complain.

“It was a good performance all-round. North Village are the league champions for a reason. So to come here and get a point, I couldn't really ask for more.”

In an uneventful first half, Harvey rattled the upright in the 27th minute from Jordan Outerbridge's pass. Ten minutes later, Knory Scott was at the end of a good move by Jonté Smith and Outerbridge, but he sent the ball into the trees behind the goal.

Four minutes before the break, Smith guided his header wide after a delivery into the box by London Steede-Jackson.

Paget took the lead when Cook connected with a cross from Kyjah Simons.

In the 56th minute, Harvey’s header went over from a corner kick. However, Village did not wait too long for the equaliser, as Amir Dill showed some tenacity to chase a ball from Knory Scott, pushed it away from the reach of Omari DeShields, before Harvey poked it home from close range.

Paget regained the lead after Knights was brought down inside the box. He dusted himself off and sent Skyler Young the wrong way.

Harvey completed his brace four minutes before the end with a header from Outerbridge’s inch-perfect cross.

Outerbridge could have won it for Village in stoppage time, but shot straight at the keeper.

SCORERS

North Village: Harvey 58, 86

Paget Lions: Cook 52, Knights 76 pen

TEAMS

North Village (3-5-2): S Young 6 — K Knights 6, J Harvey 8, K Harrison 6 — S Spence 6, L Steede-Jackson 6, T Williams 6 (sub: I Simmons, 85min), J Outerbridge 7, K Scott 6 — A Dill 7 (sub: A DeShields-Tankard, 74), J Smith 6. Substitutes not used: M Paynter, Z Smith, J Hayward, T Tucker, P Smith. Booked: Harrison.

Paget Lions (4-2-3-1): O DeShields 6 — K Simons 6, T Davis 6, J Carpenter 6, S Smith 6 — D Cook 7 (sub: O Tucker, 90), N Carpenter 6 — K Knights 6, R Russell 6, D Hart 6 — A Butterfield 6 (sub: K Hypolite, 64 5). Substitutes not used: M Basden, S Bean, J Morrissey, N Armstrong, D Joell. Booked: Butterfield.

Referee: T Simons.