Devonshire Cougars 0 Dandy Town 3

Dandy Town are starting to turn things around after three goals in the last 20 minutes gave them only their second league win yesterday at Devonshire Recreation Club.

Captain Angelo Simmons, whose four goals on December 3 helped them to a 5-1 win against Flanagan’s Onions, netted an important double to put Town firmly in control against new coach Kwame Steede’s former team.

A third by substitute Jahtino Richardson-Martin deep into stoppage time sealed the points in front of a healthy crowd. Kioshi Trott, the Cougars goalkeeper, gifted Simmons his first goal when he casually dropped Damon Ming’s cross at the near post, only for Simmons to pounce on the error and stab home from close range.

Simmons made certain of the points for the league champions when he drove a free kick from the right corner of the penalty box under the body of Trott and into the far corner. Such was the frustration of one Cougars fan standing behind the western goal that a bottle was thrown into the goal area after the goal, with referee Martin Wyer having a word with the match commissioner.

Simmons, relatively quiet up to that point, was happy with his two-goal effort after scoring twice in the midweek victory over Somerset Trojans in the FA Cup replay.

“He [Trott] tried to catch it but when he dropped in and it bounced I just put my toe on it and it went in,” said Simmons of the first goal.

“With the free kick I struck it well with my laces, aiming for the corner and it went underneath his [keeper’s] leg. Yes, they need my goals but it was still a team effort, us working hard for one another.

“I know we’ll survive, just taking one game at a time. Every game to us is a cup final. It was a very nice crowd and we wanted to give our fans something to cheer about. It’s been a rough season for us as the defending champions from last season. Our main goal is to stay up.”

Substitute Richardson-Martin struck a third in added time after collecting a pass on the left corner of the box and driving a fierce right-footed shot past Trott.

Town arrived at the Rec tied for last in the standings and desperate for a win against a Cougars team that beat them at St John’s Field in October.

The players each had a warm embrace for former coach Jomar Wilkinson as they walked past him sitting on the bench with the Wolves team as their assistant coach for the opening match against St George’s.

Wilkinson was removed as Town coach in late December after seven losses in the first nine league games, but things are now starting to turn around under new coaching pair Steede and his assistant Andrew Bascome.

Town had the better of the first-half chances with Jahmel Swan blasting over and Drewonde Bascome going close with an effort that bounced against the far post.

Ming laid on across for Bascome early in the second half after a run down the right flank but Bascome headed over the bar. Then, after Goater saw his left-footed cross roll across the six-yard box, Bascome had another chance to break the deadlock when he got through on a breakaway but he had his shot blocked.

SCORERS

Dandy Town

Simmons 78, 84. Richardson-Martin 90+7

TEAMS

Devonshire Cougars (4-3-3): K Trott — D Williams, K Franks, Z White, M Rudo — J Smith, M Thomas (sub: L Brangman 84min), M Battersbee — J Mallory (sub: C Maybury 71), C Brangman, C Burns. Substitutes not used: N Carmichael, X Outerbridge-Smith, Z Parsons, S Jones, N Simmons. Booked: Williams, Franks.

Dandy Town (4-3-3): A Daniels — K Davis (sub: K Wade 65), T Manders, S Darrell, K Tucker — J Swan, L Tucker, D Ming (sub: A Lewis 90) — D Bascome (sub: J Richardson-Martin 78), T Goater, A Simmons. Substitutes not used: E Blankendal, J Amory, D Butterfield, K Steede. Booked: L Tucker.

Referee: M Wyer.