Dandy Town showed great fighting spirit to come from behind to beat defending champions Devonshire Colts in a game of fluctuating fortunes at St John's Field yesterday.

With North Village losing to Vasco, Colts missed a chance to move into top spot.

Town, whose speed up front always troubled the Colts' rearguard, had already missed two great opportunities when they took the lead on 16 minutes, Reginald Tucker combining well with Darron Simons to set up Kris Martin, who slotted home from eight yards.

But it took Colts just ten minutes to equalise. Mark Ray had just tested keeper Antoine Lightbourne with a volley from the edge of the area, when the visitors won a free-kick 15 yards inside the Dandy half on the left.

The long ball in eluded everyone apart from Keishon Smith who slid in at the back post and extended a long leg to level. Seven minutes later, an increasingly dominant Colts took the lead in the simplest tradition of route one football.

Goalkeeper Troy Hall pumped a long kick upfield and when David Outerbridge misjudged the bounce, the nippy Ray sneaked in to lob the ball over the advancing Antoine Lightbourne.

Seconds later Ray could have made it 3-1 after being put through again but Dean Bailey threw his body in the way to block his shot. Town's early wastefulness looked likely to cost them dear and Kris Martin's frustration boiled over when he kicked the ball hard at the linesman in dispute at a decision and was booked by referee Stuart Crockwell.

But Town came out of the dressing rooms to dominate the second 45 minutes.

Coach Mark Trott threw on Paul Cann for Seyoum Tuzo immediately and 13 minutes later introduced the skilful Chris Anderson in place of Cecil Wilkinson.

The changes did the trick as Tucker went close with a near post header from a corner. Moments later Lionel Furbert sent in a deep cross from the right, Pernell Douglas rose and got his head to the ball, but there seemed little danger. However his effort looped over Hall, hit the top of the bar and bounced down again for Tucker to plant a header past the off-balance 'keeper.

Seven minutes from time, Simons, Martin and Cann linked in a move that cut the Colts defence to shreds. Substitute Anderson was left spare in the six yard area to blast past Hall for a deserved winner.

Dandy Town: A.Lightbourne, P.Douglas, D.Outerbridge, D.Bailey (J.Marshall 85 mins), L.Furbert, C.Wilkinson (C.Anderson 58 mins), D.Boyles, S.Tuzo (P.Cann 45 mins), K.Martin, D.Simons, R.Tucker Devonshire Colts: T.Hall, Jermal Belboda, S.Burgess, M.Hollis, Jermaine Belboda, S.Waldron, R.Jones, V.Ball (O.Butterfield 65 mins), J.Samuels, K.Smith, M.Ray Referee: Stuart Crockwell Men of the match: Reginald Tucker (Dandy Town); Mark Ray (Devonshire Colts)