North Village 2 Hamilton Parish 0

Ignoring controversy and Hamilton Parish's ensuing heartbreak, title favourites North Village celebrated their eighth FA Cup triumph yesterday at the National Sports Centre.

Their 2-0 success over rank underdogs Hamilton Parish now puts the Rams within one of PHC and Somerset Trojans, both having clinched the coveted trophy a record nine occasions.

However, Village's victory was earned amid outrage and abject disappointment from their lower-level rivals who felt they were “robbed” after holding the mighty Rams at bay during a goalless first half and hitting the back of the net first in the 62nd minute.

Had Sean Dill's tap-in - after a crisp, long-range shot by Hot Peppers captain Irving Burgess was fumbled by goalkeeper Zane Hendrickson - stood, the outcome could have been entirely different.

As it was, linesman Dan Rutstein flagged for offside against Dill, aborting Parish's dizzy merriment at what they thought was a 1-0 lead. Thereafter, the wheels fell off Hot Peppers' wagon as Village went ahead in a 69th-minute goalmouth scramble, thanks to skipper Ralph (Gumbo) Bean Jr, while his enraged opposite number Burgess was simultaneously sent off for a second bookable offence when he swore at referee Lyndon Raynor.

The high drama continued as Village, who were hardly troubled at the back, still pressed for an insurance goal with Hot Peppers custodian Nigel Burgess sizzling between the uprights.

No superlative is too high for the latter's sterling heroics which kept the First Division outfit in the match much longer than even the most loyal Hamilton Parish supporter probably believed possible.

Stamping his authority in the box, the Howard University post-graduate student - who has flown home faithfully all season for FA Cup fixtures - was unbeatable in the air and, in fairness, the two times his line was breeched along the ground Burgess could hardly be faulted.

Village's second strike came from the boot of Vernon Tankard in the 86th minute, a shot from the edge of the area that flew through a thicket of players into the net's bottom, right corner.

That sunk any glimmer of hope Hot Peppers harboured of a fairytale comeback and, given their near-complete dominance, was just desserts for Village who also claimed the Charity and Martonmere Cup titles earlier in the season.

The Jennings clan and company ran hard at their unfancied opposition for more than 80 percent of the tense combat. They should - and could - have had almost any number of goals they pleased in the first half, firing shot upon shot at Nigel Burgess as if he were on Crime Stoppers Most Wanted list.

Time and again though, the Rams were denied - from close range, from distance, lobs, headers, volleys, at the near post, at the back post. They couldn't buy a goal if they had all the gold in Fort Knox. Nothing beat Burgess.

Extra protection was in abundance with the capable and imposing back line of John Nicol, Chris Caisey sr, Johnny Bean and Burton Outerbridge though the latter conceded a penalty - with a boot to Tankard's stomach - in the 78th minute.

Rising to the challenge, Burgess guessed correctly and flung himself to the left to deny Nakia Smith from the spot.

For Village, Kevin Jennings - first on the right wing before switching sides with cousin Tarik Jennings - was the livewire in attack and the conduit for many of his club's initiatives. His brother and player/coach Kentoine, usually a defensive linchpin, also showed his worth up front with some solid headers and good passes. Ralph Bean and Nakia Smith also had strong chances.

While Parish's attack was limited, the likes of Corey Hill, Sean Dill, Irving Burgess and Desmond Crockwell had little room to manoeuvre with Kofi Dill, whose game has come alive this season, and Michael Hansey performing efficiently to render Hendrickson a virtual spectator for much of the encounter.

“Hamilton Parish put up a good fight but we were up to the challenge. It was a little hard at times but we came out with the victory and the result is what's most important. We've got the silverware,” said Village's captain Bean in the happy aftermath.

The 24-year-old was not surprised at Hot Peppers' toughness.”I expected them to come out hard. This is a big game for them. Not that it's not big for us but they were climbing a mountain so they were coming out to prove something. They had everything to prove today.”

Bean added that scoring Village's first goal relieved the pressure and, had it been the reverse, tension would have heightened among the Rams.

“If they had scored the first goal it would have been hard for us. As long as we scored first everything was cool.”

Venting Parish's feelings, both Sean Dill and Hill were displeased that the former's goal was not allowed to stand.

“We came a long way. We beat every opponent that came our way. We came up to the carpet and we gave it our best shot. I'm sorry they took that goal away from us. I wasn't offside,” insisted veteran Dill.

“That would have turned the whole game around if we went up 1-0. It was unlucky that we lost but it was a valiant effort. We could consider ourselves victorious, especially because it was our first time here and we're a lower-division team with nine players in the Commercial B division.”

Hill, who returned specially from Bermuda's national cricket squad's training camp in Trinidad for the season crescendo, was even more forceful in his comments.

“My whole community is hurting. This result has nothing to do with North Village. The linesman made a poor decision and I hope he can live with himself.

“I've never had so many opposition fans telling me I was robbed after a game,” said the dejected player whose pass to Irving Burgess instigated the Parish ‘goal'.

Following Parish's outcry, a refereeing official provided The Royal Gazette with a copy of FIFA's Laws of the Game 2004 in defence of Rutstein. The latter had deemed Dill offside when Burgess' initial shot was taken but only flagged when Dill rushed in to snap up the rebound.

Law 11 states that a player is offside if “the shot by a team-mate rebounds from the goalkeeper to that player, who is penalised for being in an offside position because, when the ball is played, he is involved in active play and gains an advantage by being in that position”.

Meanwhile, Lady Cougars were stretched to extra-time before scoring twice in the second period of extended action to lift the women's FA Cup against BISYS Royals.

Cheyra Bell and then Terry Paynter netted for the winners. The 2-0 outcome marked a league-and-cup double for the champions.

Village's celebrations got an early start when their young guns took the Under-15 Knockout title 4-2 against PHC.

North Village: Z.Hendrickson, Kofi Dill, M.Hansey, D.Edwards, Kentoine Jennings, J.Jennings, Kevin Jennings (Kaiwon Dill, 88 mins), T.Jennings (Keith Jennings, 53 mins), N.Smith (J.Boyles, 88 mins), R.Bean Jr, V.Tankard.

Hamilton Parish: N.Burgess, J.Bean, J.Nicol, D.Hollis (N.Meijas, 85 mins), B.Outerbridge, C.Caisey Sr (D.Burgess, 53 mins), D.Crockwell (D.Tavares, 88 mins), L.Raynor, I.Burgess, S.Dill, C.Hill.

Red card: I.Burgess (Hamilton Parish, 69 mins).

Yellow card: Keith Jennings (North Village); J.Nicol, L.Raynor (Hamilton Parish).

Men of the Match: Kofi Dill (North Village); N.Burgess (Hamilton Parish).

Referee: Lyndon Raynor.