Boulevard Blazers 2

North Village 1

Keemo Smith, the Boulevard Blazers player-coach, hailed his side’s character after their victory over North Village Rams in the Premier Division at Police Field yesterday.

Boulevard, who leapfrogged Village to third in the table, continue to impress in their first season back in the top flight against a Rams side who were made to pay for a slew of missed chances in the first half.

“We showed a lot of character against Village who put us under a lot of pressure,” Smith, who impressed in midfield, said

“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy but we got the win and now we just want to finish the season strongly.”

Jason Lee and his strike partner Keston Lewis both squandered one-on-one chances before Dimitre Daniels struck the post before Boulevard took the lead through TaVince Douglas who scored from close range in the 27th minute.

Douglas almost doubled his side’s lead on the half-hour mark when his free kick from a central position just outside the box hit the post, with Village’s defence scrambling the rebounded away for a corner.

Village, who have struggled for consistency this season, started the second half with plenty of urgency but often seemed tense and rushed when in possession, particular in the final third.

They thought they had equalised, however, midway through the second period when Lee forced the ball over the line from a corner although he was adjudged to have committed a foul by referee Anthony Francis.

Village’s frustrations were temporarily relieved when Zenawi Bowen, the holding midfielder, crashed home shot from distance past Deaz Chamber, the Boulevard goalkeeper, on 72 minutes.

At that point it seemed as though Village were in the ascendancy but Boulevard restored their lead just a few minutes later when substitute Sergio Robinson fired past Jason Williams, the Village goalkeeper, from an angle.

Village became increasingly agitated, often venting their exasperation towards referee Francis, resorting the long-range efforts, with Terryn Fray forcing a save from Chambers with a low rasping strike.

At the other end, Boulevard had a handball claim against Village defender Tareeko Wilson turned down, while the Robinson was presented with another opportunity on the break but his shot lacked the power to trouble Williams.

It was a tense finale for the home side as Village committed bodies forward with Shayne Hollis, the team’s diminutive winger, threatening with a header that was blocked on the line.

Boulevard’s defence, which was well-marshalled by Ijahmon Mallory, stood firm, however, with the home side picking up their sixth win of the season.

“I thought we deserved to win,” Smith added. “I thought the defence played very well as there were a few sticky moments. All the credit to the defenders because they stood firm when we needed them to.”

TEAMS

Scorers

(Douglas 27, Robinson 75)

North Village (Bowen 72)

Boulevard Blazers (4-4-2): D Chambers — A Foggo, I Mallory, D Smith, Z Stovell — Keemo Smith, D Taylor, M Stovell, A Smith (sub: M Smith, 65min) — I Coke, T Douglas (sub: S Robinson, 65). Substitutes not used: Keimo Smith, T Butterfield.

North Village (4-4-2): J Williams — P Parsons, T Burgess, T Wilson, T Fray — D Daniels (sub: P Smith, 72), K Bean, S Hollis, Z Bowen — J Lee, K Lewis (sub: J Samuels, 55). Substitutes not used: R Sampson, N Smith, E Zuill, Kyle Knights, Kion Knights. Booked: Parsons.

Referee: A Francis.