North Village 1 Devonshire Colts 0

Shayne Hollis’s seventh-minute strike kept North Village in the thick of the hunt for the Premier Division title at Police Field yesterday.

The North Village forward tapped in Jonathan Briers squared pass which ultimately proved to be the difference in this scrappy affair.

Colts’ best chance fell to striker Kyle Jones, who forced Tahj Bell, the Village goalkeeper, to make a fingertip save — the only time he was tested the entire match.

The home side had a confident appeal for a penalty turned down after substitute Bryan Rose went tumbling in the box and failed to cash in on their numerical advantage after Village substitute Rai Sampson went off late with a groin strain with his team having used up their quota of substitutes.

The victory, Village’s eighth of the season, keeps them in third spot, level on points with second-placed Robin Hood, and one adrift of unbeaten leaders PHC Zebras.

Colts’ ninth loss of the campaign leaves them anchored on the bottom of the pile, four points shy of the relegation zone and in desperate need of a major turnaround. Village started the brighter of the two sides and fired a warning shot when Hollis blasted over from ten yards after linking up with Keishen Bean, the captain, and Briers.

The goal that would ultimately separate the two sides arrived shortly after when Briers exploded down the right side, drew the goalkeeper and defence towards him, and then rolled the ball to the open Hollis who had the simple task of slotting into the empty net.

Colts were gifted two opportunities to drag themselves back into the match after Village right back Terryn Fray was caught in possession deep in his own half. But on each occasion the home side failed to capitalise to allow their opponents to go unpunished for some reckless football.

Village should have doubled their lead just before the half.

Demtre Daniels beat two defenders out wide before squaring the ball in the middle of the box where fellow forward Enyche Zuill, son of former Devonshire Colts striker Aljame Zuill, failed to get a touch right in front of an open net. Village started the second half with a flurry and nearly pulled further ahead through a defensive mix up between midfielder Jehkeylo Burgess and goalkeeper Gregory Rose.

Burgess headed the ball back to Rose not realising the goalkeeper had come off of his line.

However, both players were spared their blushes after Burgess beat an attacker in a foot race to the loose ball to clear the danger.

Jones wasted what proved to be his team’s best chance to salvage something from the match.

A free kick found the striker all alone on the left side of goal. But with time and space on offer Jones hurried his effort which was easily dealt with by Bell.

Village threatened again at the other end with Hollis slicing a half chance wide under pressure and substitute Sampson thwarted by a last-gasp tackle by Burgess on the edge of the box.

Colts appealed in vain for a penalty after substitute Bryan Rose went down in the box seconds after replacing midfielder Domonic Lambe.

The visiting side were forced to play the last several minutes a man short after Sampson limped off hurt.

But again a blunted Colts attack failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage with substitute Rose’s wasted free header from Lozendro Symonds’s free kick perhaps best summing up the home side’s frustrations.

SCORER

North Village

Hollis 7

TEAMS

Devonshire Colts (4-5-1): G Rose — R Jones, M Isaac, K Wilkinson, J Maybury (sub: F Lema, 69min) — J Burgess, J Bean-Lindo (sub: J Paynter, 75), E Smith, D Lambe (sub: B Rose, 76), L Symonds — K Jones. Substitutes not used: D Ball, B O’Connor, J Woodley. Booked: Lema.

North Village (3-5-2): T Bell — D Tankard, J Harvey, T Fray — K Knights (sub: J Smith-DeShields, 53), P Parsons (sub: P Smith, 65), J Briers, D Daniels, E Zuill (sub: R Sampson, 70) — S Hollis, K Bean. Substitutes not used: N Smith, A Furbert, Z Bowen.

Referee: L Cann.