Somerset Eagles 2

Devonshire Cougars 3

The relieved yet ecstatic look on the faces of jubilant Cougars players, team officials and loyal fans said it all: “At last . . . we are the champions!”

After finishing as bridesmaids to North Village and Dandy Town in the Premier Division for the past two seasons, Cougars finally discovered a way to overcome the final hurdle - but only just.

And the manner in which they achieved a maiden league title against relegated Somerset Eagles at White Hill Field, on the final day of the season, was nothing short of miraculous.

With the scores deadlocked at 2-2 deep into stoppage time, Cougars received a lifeline when a goal-bound Domico Coddington was felled by Eagles ‘keeper Ian Raynor.

Amid mounting suspense, and the perfect backdrop, Cougars stalwart Shawn Smith scored the eventual game winner from the spot to send the Premier Division championship on its way to the Den for the first time in local football history.

Yesterday's triumph also went a long way towards easing painful memories for a Cougars side knocking hard on the door to success in recent seasons, only to stumble with glory in reach.

But once referee Granville Bennett blew the final whistle, those unpleasant memories spontaneously evaporated, to be replaced by tears of joy and long-overdue celebrations for a team that surpassed all expectations to boldly walk where no other Cougars team before had ever dared to dream.

And while the big cats will go down in the history books as league champions by two points over Dandy Town, in all honesty, the margin between victory and defeat was much closer than that as Raynor nearly pushed Smith's spot kick around the post while Eagles made their opponents sweat it out to the bitter end with their never-say-die approach to the game.

Kori Goddard and super sub Reginald Baker grabbed Cougars' other vital goals while a dogged Eagles hit back through Lamual Crofton and an 81st minute Rodre (Piper) Wilson penalty.

But it all could have gone horribly wrong for the big cats who dodged a bullet when Jabrel Tucker's shot came back off the upright with Ricardo Brangman beaten early in the second half.

Afterwards, an emotional Smith, retiring at the end of the season, struggled to hold back tears of joy.

“I'm just thankful to God for helping us out today,” he stated. “Eagles play good football and we knew they were going to give us a hard match.

“But that (penalty) was big! My confidence was a little low after missing the last one but I knew if it fell to someone, then I'd have to take the responsibility.”

Cougars super sub Baker took victory in his stride. Baker jumped off the bench in the 66th minute to restore his team's lead with his very first touch of the ball.

“I just had to do it for the team,” he said. “I always come off the bench like this. . . and it feels good.”

Goddard, who put the big cats ahead in the 12th minute, was finally relieved to get his hands on the coveted trophy.

“This is what we have been trying to accomplish for many years. And it feels good to finally achieve it after all these years,” he said.

“This is real and it feels good to have contributed today by scoring a goal.”

Another Cougars stalwart, Ryan Swan, said it feels “great” to finally win a championship.

“We have been through too many trials and tribulations and we deserve this,” he told The Royal Gazette, surrounded by a wave of green and gold gathered on the pitch and the unmistakable odour of freshly uncorked champagne.

“We can now say that we are the most consistent team in this country. And I think this could be the beginning of a dynasty because I'm just one of a handful of veterans left and we have a whole lot of youngsters in this team.”

Isolated from the celebrations near the clubhouse, it seemed as though Cougars coach Andrew Bascome had yet to fathom what his team had just achieved on the pitch.

Bascome also added to his ever-growing legacy, coaching a third club to league glory in his first season at the helm.

“That is just luck,” he said, alluding to his personal milestone. “It was nerve wracking. Once we scored the second goal I thought that might have been enough but Eagles kept on playing and I thought they played very good today.

“I think it was fate the penalty fell for us late in the game and I'm happy. The last week has been very nerve-wracking because we knew Eagles were not going to lie down.”

With Eagles refusing to bury their heads in the sand, Bascome was forced to draw on his vast tactical experience, bringing on fresher legs near the end to try to “unsettle” their opponent's defence.

“I knew I had to do something to disturb their defence or try to throw them off balance a bit,” he continued. “And it happened. We went for more pace up front late in the game and we managed to finally get behind their defence. And nobody else could have taken that penalty today.”

Earlier Goddard looked to have sent the championship on its journey to Devonshire Recreation Club when he put the big cats ahead after 12 minutes. A two-man move involving skipper Kwame Steede and Goddard, culminating in the latter side-stepping Raynor, pausing for a moment as a defender committed himself on the line, and then stroking the ball in the opposite corner.

But instead of pressing home the issue, Cougars flirted with their slim lead which was wiped out in the 37th minute when Crofton finished off a good build up involving Wilson and Tucker with a simple tap in from close range to keep the two clubs tied at one apiece at the half.

Shortly after play restarted, Cougars fans breathed a sigh of relief as Tucker's slightly angled shot came back off the woodwork, while at the opposite end Goddard sliced wide of an empty net on a quick counter-attack.

Goddard was then replaced by Baker who, on the field for just 30 seconds, put the finishing touches to a Chris Caisey pass up the middle to restore Cougars hopes.

Again, Eagles refused to lay down and with nine minutes remaining drew level through Wilson's spot kick after Brangman was blown for bringing Crofton down in the box.

Then, just when it began to appear as though Cougars would end up as bridesmaids for the third year in a row and Eagles would pull off the unthinkable, a sudden rush of blood to the head of Raynor provided Smith with perhaps his most crucial assignment ever - and a goal he and his team's loyal supporters will probably forever cherish.

Yesterday actually proved to be a double delight for the Devonshire-based club as Lady Cougars edged by BISYS Royals 1-0 at Southampton Oval to clinch the Women's League title courtesy of a Ashley Wall first-half strike.

Somerset Eagles: I.Raynor, S.Worrell, K.Simons (E.Greenwood, 68 mins), D.Burgess, A.Lambert, M.Butterfield, J.Tucker, S.Simmons, D.Dowling (K.Richardson, 80 mins), R.Wilson, L.Crofton.

Devonshire Cougars: R.Brangman, S.Smith, D.Cox, J.Salaam, J.DeShields, N.Robinson, K.Steede, J.Butterfield, M.Steede (C.Caisey, 45 mins), D.Coddington, K.Goddard (R.Baker, 66 mins, A.Zuill, 85 mins).

Yellow cards: S.Worrell, S.Simmons, D.Dowling, E.Greenwood (Eagles); S.Smith (Cougars)

Men of the match: J.Tucker (Eagles); S.Smith (Cougars)

Referee: Granville Bennett.