Boulevard 0 Dandy Town 0

(after extra-time)

Boulevard coach John Rebello was left ruing his team's poor finishing after their FA Cup semi-final stalemate against Dandy Town at Bernard Park yesterday.

Takayhi Walker was Blazers' chief culprit with the powerful winger squandering the best chance, firing wide with the goal at his mercy in the dying seconds of normal time.

Not even 120 minutes of cagey, scrappy action could separate Blazers and Hornets, who are now scheduled to meet again in tomorrow night's replay.

"Takayki Walker's chance was a coach's dream because there was only two minutes left on the clock," said Rebello. "If he had taken his opportunity then it would have been difficult for Dandy Town to have come back."

Rebello said he believed Blazers had shaded proceedings and praised his players for their fight and dogged spirit.

"Conditions were difficult with the heat and I have no complaints about my team's performance," he said. "My only disappointment was our finishing. We had enough chances to win the game and maybe if our fitness levels were higher, things could have been different. We battled hard and showed good character and we live to fight another day."

Boulevard skipper Angelo Simmons had an opportunity to break the deadlock in the early stages of the first half but blazed over the bar from a tight angle.

At the other end Dandy Town striker Antwan Russell went to ground in the area after a physical challenge from a Boulevard defender when about to pull the trigger. Russell vehemently protested for a penalty but referee Colin Richardson waved play on much to the annoyance of the Hornets supporters gathered behind the goal.

Other than Walker's miss on 88 minutes there was very little for either teams' supporters to get overly excited about until extra-time when Hornet introduced surprise substitute Lashun Dill.

Dill's introduction in the first half of extra-time gave Town's attack some much needed spark with the Bermuda international making an immediate impact with a mazy dribble and delicious cross, which was scrambled away by Blazers' back-line.

Dandy Town caretaker coach Scott Morton said the decision to leave Dill on the bench, along with fellow international Michael Parsons, was for "tactical reasons".

"We know what Lashun (Dill) can do and he has the ability and speed to hurt teams," said Morton. "But sometimes he needs to learn to be a team player and we are still looking for the right combination."

He added: "I thought we looked a little anxious and we need to learn to be patient - we were trying too hard to force a goal."

Morton's men very nearly snatched victory in the second half of extra-time when substitute Skylah Furbert's dipping shot from distance was agonisingly cleared off the line.

Angelo Simmons was then denied from close range by Hornets 'keeper Kejon Sampson.

Boulevard: S.Swan, J.Paynt, C.Trott, J.Simmons, C.Matthews, R.Burgess, C.Simmons, M.Gibbons, I.Coke, T.Walker, A.Simons. Subs: J.Samuels, G.Darrell, D.Taylor, T.Smith, C.Hayward.

Dandy Town: K.Sampson, M.Campbell, E.Signor, O.Steede, S.Smith, J.Swan, S.Darrell, A.Russell, D.Simons (S.Furbert 75 mins), H.Wolfe, (L.Dill 95) B.Minors

Subs: K.Simmons, M.Parsons, M.Smith

Referee: Colin Richardson

Man-of-the-Match: A.Russell (Dandy Town)

IN yesterday's women's FA Cup semi-final, Dandy Stars defeated Somerset Hurricanes 3-0.

Goals from Dandy Stars' Jenny Edness, Lyndsey Ford and Shuntae Todd were enough to see off Hurricanes.