Devonshire Cougars 1

Boulevard 1

Boulevard maintained a one-point lead over Dandy Town at the top of the Premier Division standings after taking a valuable point off unbeaten Cougars at the Den yesterday.

Blazers took the lead in comical fashion against the run of play in the 67th minute through skipper Takeyhi Walker whose cross was fumbled over the line by a clumsy Ricardo Brangman in the Cougars goal.

But an opportunistic strike from Walker's opposite number, Kwame Steede, moments later brought Blazers crashing back to earth with a thud. And in the end the visitors were fortunate to grab a share of the spoils as Cougars threatened to run away with the match during the closing stages.

Cougars, who remain one point adrift of Hornets in third place, have now drawn their last two league outings either side of winning a second Martonmere Cup earlier this month.

"We were looking to consolidate home field advantage as far as winning matches is concerned. But again we didn't get it done today," said Cougars coach Devarr Boyles.

If the Big Cats were looking for a scapegoat then they need not have looked any further than cousins Kwame and Moses who both scuffed golden opportunities during a nerve-wracking final 20 minutes of a match that only came alive after Brangman gifted Blazers the lead.

"I guess a point is better than nothing," added Boyles.

Blazers coach Andrew Bascome agreed.

"I thought it was a balanced game and in the end a draw was a just result," he said. "We came out here for a point today and in the end got what we came for. I was very pleased with our performance today because you always have to respect a team like Cougars – especially in this environment."

If it was respect Cougars were looking for, Blazers were certainly not having any of it as they came out all guns blazing from the kick-off and with better luck could have easily led at the half.

Uncharacteristically, Cougars started the match playing deep in their own half and Blazers were only too happy to run at their hosts who escaped unpunished for what appeared to have been a handball in the box minutes after kick-off.

Moments later Blazers were at Cougars throats again with the wiry Melchisedec Gibbons nodding a cross from cousin Ajani Gibbons just wide of the upright with Brangman stranded in no man's land.

Blazers skipper Walker also shot wide with the Cougars defence back-pedalling as the visitors continued to upstage their hosts in their own backyard.

Boulevard coach Bascome made a few tactical changes early in the second half but it was Cougars who seemed to benefit most as they eventually grasped the momentum with the Steede trio of Kwame, Moses and Tumani calling the shots and wreaking all sorts of havoc.

A diagonal pass played behind the defence sent Kwame on a clear run towards goal. But just as the national team player shaped up to unleash, he lost his footing, and the chance went abegging.

Cousin Moses would suffer a similar fate as he too slipped with only 'keeper Randy Broadbent to contend with.

With Blazers now on the defensive, Cougars continued to apply the pressure and it nearly paid off when defender Kijuan Franks had a header cleared off the line.

However, that miss seemed to jolt Blazers into action and they responded by taking the lead at the expense of Brangman whose attempt to collect Walker's cross resulted with the ball slipping through his grasp, and barely trickling across the line.

Yet, hardly before the dust had settled, Cougars were back on even terms as Kwame slammed home a rebound after Broadbent failed to gather a low drive from Moses Steede, positioned at the top of the box.

Devonshire Cougars: R.Brangman, D.Cox, O.Butterfield, J.Butterfield, K.Franks, S.Brangman, R.Robinson, M.Steede (L.Brangman, 85 mins), T.Steede (M.Smith, 85 mins), K.Steede (capt), K.Tucker

Boulevard: R.Broadbent, J.Payne (D.Stovell, 58 mins), C.Trott, J.Samuels, H.Burrows, M.Parsons, W.Place, A.Gibbons, T.Walker (capt), M.Gibbons, A.Simmons (R.Saltus, 85 mins).

Yellow card: M.Gibbons (Boulevard)

Men of the match: O.Butterfield (Cougars); A.Gibbons (Boulevard).

Referee: Anthony Mouchette.