Devonshire Cougars 2 Dandy Town 1

"We won't be the whipping boys this season," declared Galvin Butterfield after helping Devonshire Cougars to a surprise victory over Dandy Town last night.

Cougars dominated for large periods of this Martonmere Cup clash at BAA Field, scoring two goals in the first half against the current league champions.

Town came back in the second, but a penalty strike was all they had to show for their improvement, Andrew Bascome's men slipping to a 2-1 defeat.

With the fleet-footedness of Heys Wolffe and Raymond Beach allied to the raw strength of Mark Smith, Cougars looked a completely different side to that of last year and although it is too early to make predictions, first impressions would suggest they could cause a few more shocks as the league gets underway.

Certainly Butterfield seems to think so.

"I think we have shown everyone that this season we are not going to be the whipping boys," he said.

"We stuck to our game plan and did what we had to do. The coach told us to keep the intensity up and just play our game.

"In the second-half we got a little bit comfortable, we relaxed and let them come back into the game. But then we stepped it back up and got the win."

As one observer put it, Cougars certainly came out to play football.

Their neat approach work saw them go a goal up inside the first three minutes.

Kwame Steede fired in a low, raking shot which looked destined to go wide until Craig Darrell steamed in at the far post to slide the ball into the net.

The Hornets were stung into action but Reggie Tucker could not make the most of some good play down the right and then Darren Simons headed wide when he should have at least got his attempt from six yards on target.

That failure to bring Town level proved costly in the 17th minute.

Beach gained possession just outside the box, danced past several bemused defenders and slid the ball under the advancing 'keeper.

Two goals to the good, Cougars were on top in all areas of the pitch, big man Smith causing havoc through the centre with his penetrating runs and overall awkwardness and Beach dragging markers this way and that.

At the back Shawn Smith and Butterfield marshalled the defence and kept the usually dangerous Simons at bay.

With the match under control, one would have expected Cougars to play a possession game in the second period, but instead they allowed Town to get under their skin and they began to lose their cool.

The Hornets forced a succession of early corners and Simons was unlucky to see a delicate lob desperately clawed out of the air by 'keeper Ricardo Brangman.

Town continued to apply pressure and when Devon Brangman took out Devarr Boyles on the right, their persistence paid off.

The free kick was swung in and as the players rose for the ball referee George O'Brien penalised Darrell for a push on Janeiro Tucker.

Reggie Tucker put the ball away.

What he did immediately afterwards is unclear, but it resulted in a mass melee involving players from both sides.

O'Brien appeared to have lost control but eventually calmed the situation and allowed the game to continue without feeling the need to brandish any cards.

Town then had a goal disallowed for handball and Rodney Bascome scuffed his shot after exposing the last defender.

But they didn't have the equaliser in them and it was Cougars who finished the stronger.

Wolffe hit the post with a rapier strike and then missed the follow-up before Town 'keeper Jason Smith finally palmed away a third effort from Steede.

Cougars: R.Brangman, S.Smith, G.Butterfield, D.Brangman, M.Dill, K.Goddard (R.Clacken, 84 mins), K.Steede, C.Darrell (K.Saltus, 75 mins), M.Smith (C.Smith, 61 mins), H.Wolffe, R.Beach.

Dandy Town: J.Smith, B.O.Riordan, K.Mundy, R.Swan, D.Binns (K.Thompson, 86 mins), L.Furbert, K.Hurdle (S.Smith, 67 mins), J.Tucker (R.Bascome, 61 mins), D.Boyles, R.Tucker, D.Simons.

Yellow card: D.Brangman, C.Darrell (Cougars).

Referee: George O'Brien.

Man of the match: M.Smith (Cougars).