Dandy Town 1 –North Village 3

Shaun Goater believes North Village hold the destiny of the Premier Division title in their own hands after watching his side's "awesome victory" over rivals Dandy Town.

The Rams came back from a goal behind at St.John's Field yesterday to nudge one point ahead of the Hornets with just three league matches of the season remaining.

And head coach, Goater, insists the title is now his team's to lose: "This was an awesome victory, to beat Dandy Town at home where they are so formidable ... It's not over yet though and there are nine points still to play for, but the title is now all in our hands to lose."

Hornets - league leaders prior to yesterday's top of the table showdown - took the lead through Nahki Wells who was first to react after defender Kofi Dill had cleared Lashun Dill's effort of the line.

Village looked slightly off the pace during the first period although they had their moments with Terryn Fray having a short hacked off the line by Errin Simons, while Jason Lee probably should have done better with a one-on-one chance.

But whatever Goater said to his players in the dressing room at half-time seemed to do the trick with Village showing far more cutting edge after the interval.

The introduction of surprise substitute Ralph Bean certainly helped swing the pendulum back in Village's favour with Goater admitting the ex-Bermuda international had provided "the spark" the Rams required.

"At half-time I just told the players to keep doing what they have been doing over the last eight matches," he said. "I knew they had the ability to get back into the game.

"I was forced to make a few changes before the game because of injuries, but Ralph came on at half-time and gave us the spark we were looking for."

Village pulled level when Devrae Tankard connected with Bean's corner kick with a forceful header at the back post, before rookie midfielder Jonathan Briers scored his first senior goal for the Rams.

It was difficult chance too, with the national academy player lifting a bouncing ball into the top corner from an acute angle after goalkeeper Treadwell Gibbons had only partially cleared a cross.

"I thought Briers was waiting for the last game of the season to open his account for us," joked Goater. "It was an important goal in the context of the match and he's a player beyond his years."

There's was plenty of huff and puff from Hornets as they aggressively pursued an equaliser but Village's defensive twin towers, Kofi Dill and Sean Fubler, stood firm and limited the dangerous Raymond Beach to just a few half chances.

Bean then took the game away from Hornets when he was afforded far too much space from Jemeiko Jenning's free-kick and had the simple task of planting his header past Gibbons from close range.

For Goater, the win was all the more pleasing considering Village had endured an agonising penalty shootout defeat in the FA Cup semi-final in mid-week.

"We suffered the sour taste of defeat in the FA Cup against Cougars but we dusted ourselves down and showed lots of character today. We showed the kind of things that we our trying to develop here at Village."

North Village: Z.Hendrickson (J.Williams, 41), T.Watson, D.Tankard, S. Fubler, K.Dill, J.Jennings, S.DeGraff, J.Briers, P.Smith, (V.Tankard, 75) J.Lee, T.Fray (R.Bean, 45). Subs not used: J.Sousa, R.Wilson, Kaiwon Dill.

Goals: Tankard, 52, Briers, 61, Bean 80

Yellow cards: Jennings, Smith

Dandy Town: T.Gibbons, J.Peniston, A.Lowe, E.Simons, C.Anderson, S.Darrell, J.Swan, L.Dill (S.Brown 78), D.Ming, R.Beach, N.Wells. Subs not used: M.Crockwell, J.Stowe, K.Thompson, A.Bailey, T.Russell.

Goals: Wells, 21

Referee: A.Mouchette

Man-of-the-match: S.Fubler (Village)

Somerset Trojans 1 –Boulevard Blazers 4

Somerset Trojans' chances of avoiding an immediate return to the First Division appear all but over following this thumping at the hands of Boulevard yesterday.

Dennis Brown's side are five points adrift at the bottom of the table and with table toppers North Village their next opponents, a miraculous escape seems unlikely.

Quadir Maynard's early goal started this rout, and he bagged another late on to complete a fine individual performance.

Angelo Simmons and Drewonde Bascome got the others for Boulevard, while Marcelo Thomas got a consolation goal for the home side.