North Village 5 Hamilton Parish 2

Parish face the unenviable task of needing to take maximum points from ties against Dandy Town and Boulevard if they want to remain in the top flight.

But based on their performance in a humbling defeat at Bernard Park yesterday, there appears to be little realistic chance of escaping the drop.

Parish were thoroughly outplayed by a Village outfit whose display showed exactly why they won the league last year (superb all-round play, invention, fitness and skill in abundance) and exactly why they are heading for middle-table obscurity this season (a woeful and wasteful attitude towards goalscoring).

Although the result was never in doubt after an exhibition goal after just 88 seconds by Vernon Tankard, the sunny afternoon was a real thriller with beautiful goals, some genuine comedy (those witnessing a spectator's inadvertent header will surely agree) and the odd bone-shattering collision.

Parish were given a taste of what was to come when the mercurial Keith Jennings back-heeled into space for Tankard to blast into the top corner from 20 yards for a superb account-opener.

Jennings, with the touch and vision that could grace a greater stage, was a threat throughout as was his brother Kevin, angular winger Tyrell Burgess and Ralph Bean.

Parish had no answer to the magic being worked by a forward line that could have bagged six or seven goals by the break.

Instead it was just the two with Logan Alexander making a rare foray forward before laying it off to Bean whose deflected shot fell neatly to Kevin Jennings to fire home from close range after 41 minutes.

After an interval in which Parish were given the ear-bashing they deserved, it was more of the same with Keith Jennings deservedly getting his name on the scoresheet by rounding the 'keeper after a sweet touch from substitute Kaiwan Dill sent him through.

Completely against the run of play Parish were the next to score, with livewire substitute Irving Burgess chasing down a long ball and, still on the run, firing past Daniel Johnson.

But it only took five minutes for the three-goal cushion to be re-established as Bean conned his way to a free kick with Keith Jennings laying the ball on for Kofi Dill to blast Village into a 4-1 lead.

David Signor pegged the home side back once more after Burgess doggedly made the most of some questionable defending by David Thomas but it was Keith Jennings who had the last laugh as he planted a cross immaculately on the head of Kaiwan Dill to finish off.

Getting himself booked for a 95th minute incident with Daniel Signor couldn't spoil his day ? although it spoiled what looks like one of Parish's last games in the Premier Division.

North Village: D. Johnson, K. Binns (D. Thomas, 73 mins), L. Alexander, Kofi Dill, M. Hawsey, J. Outerbridge (Kaiwon Dill, 45 mins), R. Bean (M. Crane, 69 mins), T. Burgess, Keith Jennings, Kevin Jennings, V. Tankard. Subs: Z. Hendrickson, Q. Paynter.D. Astwood, E. Signor, J. Marshall (D. Simmons, 65 mins), J. Dill, D. Signor, C. Hill, N. Robinson, V. Minors (I.Burgess, 55 mins), T. Webb-Caisey, L. Simmons, Y. Pitt (C. Woods, 45 mins) Subs: D. Tavares.Keith Jennings (N.Village); J. Marshall, D.Signor (Parish).Keith Jennings (Village);I.Burgess (Parish).: Leroy Wilson.