Boulevard 1

Dandy Town 1

Jared Peniston missed a second-half penalty for defending champions Dandy Town who dropped their first points of the season against a battling Boulevard at BAA Field on Saturday night.

Hornets started brightly and took the lead after 37 minutes when Tristan Daniels, who had early squandered two good chances, scrambled home Damon Ming's right wing cross.

But Blazers were showing plenty of guts and gusto and fought their way back on level terms just before half-time through Tamiko Wilson who finished smartly after latching onto a defence splitting pass from Angelo Simmons.

Although it was Hornets who started the second half the stronger side, it was Blazers who went closest to taking the lead when Wilson's near range effort was palmed onto the post by goalkeeper Treadwell Gibbons.

Hornets were still looking the more menacing and Ming, their most potent threat, then won he side a penalty when he was clumsily brought down by defender Aaron Foggo in the area. Midfielder Peniston stepped up to take the spot-kick but saw his effort superbly denied by keeper Shejuan Swan.

Town then missed another glorious opportunity to claim all three points when Lynn Tucker fluffed a great chance late on following good work by substitute Saki Tuzo on the right wing.

Blazers, though, can take plenty of heart from their encouraging display, especially considering they are still without a coach and not training regularly.

The team's talisman, Takehyi Walker, admitted it had been a difficult start to the season for Blazers but believed their draw against Hornets was a step in the right direction.

"It's a great result for us, to get a point against the defending champions," said Walker, who came on as a second half substitute having recovered from an ankle injury.

"The team is not really together at the moment and we're just taking things day-by-day. We have a training schedule but it doesn't always work out that way."

Intriguingly, former Blazers coach John Rebello spent entire match stationed near the home side's dugout giving out instructions. Walker, however, said he was unsure whether Rebello would want to resume his coaching role. "John Rebello was giving us some helpful advice tonight," he said. "I don't know think he will be taking over anytime soon but everyone knows that his heart is at Blazers so we'll just have to see happen happens."

Boulevard: S.Swan, A.Simmons, C.Trott, J.Samuals, J.Davies, A.Foggo, N.Smith, D.Bell, A.Gibbons, M.Parsons (T.Walker, 70) T.Wilson

Substitutes not used: S.Robinson, A.Frans, R.Burgess

Goals: Wilson, 42

Dandy Town: T.Gibbons, K.Tucker, G.Dyer, S. Deshields, F.Frankson, J.Peniston, S.Darrell, T.Daniels, D.Ming, L.Dill (T.Saki, 65), L.Tucker (R.Wells, 82)

Substitutes not used: J.Butterfield

Goals: Daniels, 37

Yellow cards: S.Deshields, S.Darrell

Referee: A.Francis