Devonshire Cougars 4
Boulevard Blazers 2

Devonshire Cougars came out on top against their crosstown rivals Boulevard in the Premier Division at Devonshire Recreation yesterday.

In match with little to play for other than league positions and pride, it was Cougars who earned the bragging rights with a battling performance in front of their home support.

Cougars took the lead after five minutes when striker Mark Steede robbed Conneko Trott, the Boulevard defender, before slotting the ball past Deaz Chambers, the Boulevard goalkeeper.

Boulevard, who have had an impressive first season back in the top flight, fought back on level terms when Mark Smith, a former Cougars player, headed home from close range on the half-hour mark.

The visiting side were dealt a blow when talisman Ian Coke limped off with an injury, being replaced by Sergio Robinson, as Cougars started taking control.

Mark Steede had another chance, placing his shot wide when he should have done better, and then bundling a difficult chance wide after good work by the impressive Machai Battersbee on the right flank.

After the break Boulevard pulled ahead through captain Dunn-ya Taylor who fired a shot from distance past Ricardo Brangman, the Cougars goalkeeper, in the 55th minute.

Omar Butterfield, taking control of Cougars in the absence of Kwame Steede, responded immediately by replacing Smith with Vincent Minors Jr. The change paid dividends almost straight away, with Zari Simmons tapping home after goalkeeper Chambers fumbled a cross from the left.

Cougars’ extra fitness appeared noticeable as they started to pour forward, taking the lead through substitute Minors who headed home after good work down the left by Moses Steede in the 65th minute.

Moses Steede then completed the scoring late on, side-footing in a low pinpoint cross from 19-year-old Battersbee from the right.

Butterfield said he was encouraged by Cougars’s form during the second-half of the season after a difficult start. “It was good for morale to win the game and we will just look to finish the season on a high,” he said.

“I thought the performance was pretty good and I felt our fitness carried us through during the latter stages of the second half.”

Butterfield added: “We’re continuing to grow and this season was always going to be about rebuilding. We’ve still got the semi-finals of the FA Cup [against Robin Hood at Police Field on April 10] to look forward to and we’re feeling confident.”

TEAMS

Scorers

Devonshire Cougars (Mark Steede 5, Simmons 65, Minors 75, Moses Steede 86)

Boulevard Blazers (M Smith 30, Taylor 55)

Devonshire Cougars (4-5-1): R Brangman — C Burns, Zeko White, Zekiro White, T Woodley (sub: J Smith 81min)— Moses Steede, Zari Simmons, M Battersbee, L Brangman (sub: J Mallory, 60), M Thomas — Mark Steede (sub: V Minors, 57). Substitutes not used: X Outerbridge-Smith. Booked: Zeko White.

Boulevard Blazers (4-4-2): D Chambers — M Tankard, C Trott, I Mallory, Z Stovell — K Smith, D Taylor, T Douglas, A Famous (sub T Butterfield, 80) — I Coke (sub: S Robinson, 20), M Smith. Substitute not used: K Bean.

Referee: A Mouchette.