Robin Hood 4 Boulevard 4

Boulevard all but handed the league title to PHC Zebras after drawing 4-4 with Robin Hood in a make-up match at Goose Gosling Field last night.

Hood, who suffered their first league loss of the season last weekend, looked headed for another defeat when they surrendered a 3-1 lead during a bizarre five minutes late in the first half. They delayed making a substitution when their captain Lejaun Simmons went off with a groin injury and paid the price after Boulevard scored three times to take a 4-3 lead into the break.

Boulevard stunned Hood by scoring the game’s first goal after just 53 seconds when Clay Darrell netted from the right side of the box past goalkeeper Dale Eve who got his hands to the shot.

Hood quickly got into their stride after Jaylon Bather headed home at the far post from a free kick by Simmons in the seventh minute. Simmons then capitalised after Boulevard lost possession midway in their half, his first shot blocked before he followed up to score.

It looked game over four minutes later when Shakir Smith scored from a rebound after Russell’s shot from 25 yards was parried by goalkeeper Deaz Chambers after bouncing in front of him. Simmons then lobbed the ball against the near post as Hood continued to bombard the Boulevard goal.

Ernest Trott had an effort blocked on the line by Eve before the game turned in Boulevard’s favour minutes later when Simmons went off, indicating a injury as he handed the captain’s armband to Russell. However, the substitution was not made for almost nine minutes, by which time ten-man Hood were stunned by three goals as Boulevard reclaimed the lead.

Trott fired home a cross from Darrell from close close before two goals in the space of a minute by Coke stunned the home team. The Boulevard captain scored from 20 yards to beat the diving Eve and then moments later Coke capitalised on an error by the Hood defence.

Hood finally got an equaliser on the hour mark when Russell converted from the spot after Casey Castle was knocked over in the box by Jakio Williams who earned a booking for his protests.

The point leaves Hood eight points from PHC and with three games remaining while Boulevard are four points clear of ninth place Paget in the relegation battle.

SCORERS

Robin Hood

Bather 7, L Simmons 15, S Smith 19, Russell (pen) 60

Boulevard

Darrell 1, Trott 33, Coke, 37, 38

TEAMS

Robin Hood (4-3-3): D Eve — T Bean (sub: E Outerbridge, 85), J Bather, P Parsons, C Castle — T Goater, A Nelson, C Ryan — A Russell, L Simmons (sub: L Symonds, 39), S Smith. Substitutes not used: D Andrade, J Nusum, J Pereira.

Boulevard (4-3-3): D Chambers — T Stovell, A Famous, J Williams, T Butterfield — E Trott, N Smith, J Crockwell — K Easton, I Coke, C Darrell. Booked:Williams.

Referee:L Cann