North Village 1 X-Roads 2

X-Roads came from behind to defeat North Village at Bernard’s Park yesterday.

Second-half goals by Kashi Davis-Jones and Tymon Daniels cancelled out Terryn Fray’s 34th-minute strike from a free kick to secure X-Roads their second win of the season.

“We showed character against tough opponents today,” said X-Roads coach Fareed El Karfa. “We held them in the first half and gave a good fight. We had a 4-5-1 defensive set up to fill the midfield to match their quality midfield and it worked.”

Village started the game more aggressively with a 5-3-2 formation, which allowed their wing backs to venture forward on every counter attack.

This almost paid dividends when wing back Akim Johnston laid a pass inside to Keishen Bean who struck a shot that ricocheted off stand-in X-Roads goalkeeper Jez Burrows’s upright. Bean was on the receiving end of another Village raid from wing back Kyler Knights who picked him out with a perfect cross. Bean controlled the ball on his chest before hitting a drive which pulled off a spectacular save from Burrows who pushed the ball around the post for a corner.

The breakthrough came after Shayne Hollis was fouled unnecessarily near the corner of X-Roads’ 18-yard box. Terryn Fray then hit a left-footed free kick which beat goalkeeper Burrows at his near post.

After the break X-Roads’ made a change and pushed Kahmori Brangman up front. It had an immediate impact as Brangman put Village under pressure and it was his initial cross that resulted in a penalty as Village’s Jonathon Briers was adjudged to have handled the ball.

Davis-Jones drove down the middle sending goalkeeper Bell diving to his right to level. Midway through the half, Tymon Daniels scored the winner when he intercepted a pass and played a quick one-two with Davis-Jones before toe-poking home.

Village had two glaring misses late on. First, substitute Marcellos Thomas slammed the ball over the crossbar from six yards out and Kyler Knights then headed wide from just two yards.

“There was a severe lack of quality throughout,” said Devarr Boyles, the Village coach. “We never got it going.”

TEAMS

North Village T Bell, A Johnston, J Thomas, T Fray, P Castle (L Dill, 70min), K Knights, J Briers, C Caisey (M Thomas, 56), P Smith (D Daniels, 58) S Hollis, K Bean. Substitutes not used: T Durham.

Booked: K Knights, 68.

X-Roads: J Burrows, L Simmons, K Wilkinson, J Furbert, A Burgess, P Parsons, T Daniels, K Davis-Jones, R Beek (T Lowe, 80), K Brangman (K Godfrey, 87), A Butterfield (A Heylinger, 53). Substitutes not used: M McGowan, J Sanchez. Booked: T Daniels.

Referee: L Raynor.