Devonshire Cougars 2 PHC Zebras 1

Elisha Darrell’s tenth goal of the season secured the points for Devonshire Cougars in an evenly fought Premier Division contest at Devonshire Recreation Club last night.

The towering forward popped up at the near post in the 55th minute to head Lejaun Simmons’s cross past PHC goalkeeper Coleridge Fubler.

The visiting side pressed on for an equaliser, with Diondre Dowling blasting over on a breakaway and Cougars goalkeeper Keitaro Darrell saving Marco Warren’s free kick as the home side held on.

Earlier, Cougars’ Che’Kai Caisey and PHC’s Darren Usher traded goals to leave the teams deadlocked at 1-1 at the break.

Kwame Steede, the Cougars coach, hailed his team’s determination which ultimately gave them the edge in a match neither team managed to fully control.

“It was grit. We have played a lot of games and probably more than most teams right now,” he said.

“To get the result, we played football in spurts and I enjoyed the game. In fact, I really enjoyed it.

“I think our missed chances kind of carried the game along, but so it goes.

“PHC came to play. It was two high-energy teams and it was a great game for the fans.”

Cougars dominated the early exchanges and pinned PHC in their own half for long spells, but wasted several periods of prolonged possession.

PHC gradually grew into the game and began creating chances of their own, but fell behind against the run of play when Caisey beat Fubler from close range after some good link-up play in the area between Darrell and Kurtis Minors.

However, the visiting side hit back five minutes later in spectacular fashion.

Usher latched on to Warren’s pass and rifled a ferocious shot into the roof of the net from outside of the box.

Both teams had further chances but were denied by some good goalkeeping as the score remained level at the interval.

Caisey had a curling effort well saved by Fubler as Cougars started the second half on the front foot before Darrell ultimately sealed the points for Steede’s side.

SCORERS

Devonshire Cougars: Che’ Kai Caisey 26, Darrell 55

PHC Zebras: Usher 31

TEAMS

Devonshire Cougars (4-1-4-1): K Darrell 7 - J Thomas 7, Chris Caisey 7, Z White 7, L Simmons 7 - Z Simmons 7 - K Minors 6 (sub: D Cox, 46 min 6), J Brimmer 7, C Caisey 7 (sub: J Fox, 82), E Darrell 7 (sub:J Wade, 88- D Coddington 7. Booked: Brimmer, Z Simmons. Substitutes not used: Zion Simmons, D Daniels, N Simmons.

PHC Zebras (4-1-4-1): C Fubler 7 - D Smith-Lightbourne 7, J Bather 7, N Griffith 7, D Usher 7 - D Lodge 6 (sub: D Richardson, 80)- T Showers 6 (sub: S Trott, 65 6), K Abraham 6, D Dowling 7, M Warren 7, K Bean 6 (sub: S Nisbett, 80). Booked: Griffith, Trott (sub). Substitutes not used: Shaquille Trott, M Lambe, J Hassell.

Referee: D Jackson.