Boulevard 2
Somerset Eagles 0
Two goals in the second half earned Boulevard their first win of the season against newly promoted Somerset Eagles in the Premier Division at Police Field yesterday.
Ian Coke put the home side ahead from the penalty spot near the hour mark after Lorenzo Burch, the Eagles defender, handled in the box.
Late substitute Jahzardae Samuels then made the points safe when he fired home a rebound from close range.
The scoreline flattered to deceive as Boulevard controlled most of the match and carved out enough chances to blast their opponents into orbit.
But a plethora of missed opportunities nearly came back to haunt the home team as Eagles enjoyed a good spell after falling behind to Coke’s well-taken penalty kick.
The visiting side bombarded Boulevard’s goal after finally getting a foothold in the middle of the park, but were ultimately pegged back as Samuels drilled in Sergio Robinson’s rebound at the near post to kill the game off.
Both teams played the final 24 minutes a man short after Antione Famous, the Boulevard midfielder, and Kanhai Fray, the Eagles striker, were sent off after tempers flared.
Eagles lacked fluency and cutting edge in the final third but nearly took the lead against the grain when Khimo Harrison’s free kick from 30 yards out soared just over the bar.
Fray also had a low cross that took a deflection off a defender before being scrambled away near the goal line.
Boulevard enjoyed swathes of possession and wreaked havoc upon Eagles’ defence with the long ball only to be let down by a poor final touch in and around their opponents’ goal.
Taiquan Davis, the Boulevard midfielder, placed a free header wide after getting on the end of Zico Stovell’s deep cross while Famous arrowed a close-range effort into the side netting from an angle.
Ernest Trott, the Boulevard midfielder, had a 25-yard free kick saved by Lorenzo Lambert, the Eagles goalkeeper, and should have done better with Jahleel Crockwell’s cross which he headed wide unchallenged to leave the two sides goalless at the interval.
However, Eagles’ luck finally ran out early in the second half when Marquel Tankard’s goal-bound effort was handled by Burch.
Coke made no mistake with the ensuing spot kick, which he firmly struck inside of the bottom right-hand corner, giving Lambert no chance.
Both teams were reduced to ten men ten minutes later when Famous and Fray received their marching orders for their part in an altercation.
Eagles made a series of a substitutions up front which added spark and another dimension to their game and after making their presence felt in midfield began to stretch their opponents to near breaking point.
Boulevard found themselves on the back foot as Eagles mounted waves of pressure but were a constant threat on the break, with substitute Robinson wasting a handful of opportunities to bury the hatchet.
The visiting side continued to press and just when an equaliser seemed imminent substitute Samuels pounced at the other end seven minutes from the end to make the points safe.
Robinson rode two tackles in the box and then unleashed a shot from close range which Lambert did well to keep out only for Samuels to smash home the rebound.
TEAMS
Scorers
Boulevard (Coke 56 (pen), Samuels 83)
Boulevard (4-5-1): D Adams — Z Stovell, J Crockwell, K Smith, A Foggo — T Davis (sub: S Robinson, 65), M Tankard (sub: J Samuels, 75), E Trott, D Taylor, A Famous — I Coke (sub: S Fostin, 87). Substitutes not used: T Butterfield. Sent off: Famous.
Somerset Eagles (4-4-2): L Lambert — C Medeiros (sub: D Simmons, 61), L Burch, G Smith, R Prechardo — Quinn, K Harrison, D Riley-Clarke, R Seaman (sub: M Rojas, 69) A Telford — K Fray, J Santos (sub: T Smith, 50). Substitutes not used: K Evans, A Furbert, S Johns, J Simmons, K Virgil, A Wilkinson. Sent off: Fray.
Referee: A Francis.
