Dandy Town 2

Boulevard 2

<$t-1z9.2>A cracking 25-yard strike from gangly substitute Lashun Dill gave Dandy Town a deserved point yesterday against Boulevard at a miserably wet and muddy St. John’s Field.

The result means that the Blazers have now surrendered the Premier Division’s top spot for the first time this season after nearest rivals Devonshire Cougars won 3-0 at St. David’s — leaving the the Black Cats on 11 points after five games and ten-point Boulevard in second position on goal difference from Somerset Trojans.

As might have been expected from a team which have been in commanding form so far this year, Blazers started by far the stronger team, commanding the lion’s share of possession and knocking the ball around respectably despite the horrendous surface — which became more and more cut up and puddle-strewn with every minute that passed.

The pressure finally told on 24 minutes when a low and powerful Angelo Simmons free kick from the right was spilled by Town goalkeeper Cymande Davis in a mud-bath of a six-yard box, with an alert Kelvon Butterfield pouncing on the loose ball.

And while it would be difficult to be overly-critical of any ‘keeper’s handling in such atrociously sodden conditions, there could be no doubt that Davis was at fault for Boulevard’s second also as another cross from Simmons — a constant menace with his pace and trickery — slipped from his grasp and fell this time at the feet of Shaki Crockwell who made no mistake.

In fairness to Town, however, they never once panicked despite those early disappointments and as the game wore on began to find their stride — with some shirt-tugging in the box earning them what appeared to be a justified penalty which was converted by veteran striker Carlos Smith.

The second half got under way in semi-darkness as yet more black clouds filled the sky above St. John’s — forcing the club to switch on the floodlights at only just after four in the afternoon.

With the teams evenly-matched and neither finding it easy to mount fluid attacks, Town brought on their trump card — Dill — after 63 minutes, in the hope that his pace down the right flank would unsettle the Boulevard defenders as it has done other sides for most of the season.

And having looked lively from the moment he was introduced, Dill then produced the moment of magic the home side were so desperately looking for, letting go of a wicked low shot from well outside the area which skidded awkwardly off the surface and beyond the despairing dive of Michael Higgs in the Boulevard goal.

Both teams came close to breaking the deadlock the last 15 minutes — the most spectacular effort was a powerful, dipping volley from distance off the boot of Town’s Michael Parsons — but in the circumstances a draw appeared to the fair result.

Boulevard: <$>M.Higgs, S.Lewis, J.Warren, J.Samuels, C.Matthews, J.Payne, (R.Saltus 80), C.Trott, C.Simmons, K.Butterfield, A.Simmons, S.Crockwell

Dandy Town: C.Davis, J.Peniston, S.Smith, E.Signon, D.Zuill, O.Steede, M.Parsons, S.Tuzo (L.Dill 63), H.Wolfe (A.Russell) M.Smith, C.Smith

Booked: <$>A.Simmons (Boulevard) D.Zuill, A.Russell (Town)

Men of Match: <$>A.Simmons (Boulevard) L.Dill (Town)

Referee: Jenny Villamarin