Devonshire Cougars 0 St. George’s Colts 0

St. George’s Colts made the long journey from east but would leave the happier of the two teams, as they escaped ‘The Den’ with a point against hosts Devonshire Cougars in last night’s Premier Division action. Neither team could breach the other’s net, but St. George’s Colts coach, Jarreau Hayward was satisfied with the outcome.

“It was a hard-fought game, especially with our injuries,” stated Hayward. “We did good to hold them. It was a well-deserved point’.

The game was played in a light drizzle throughout, which made the slippery conditions difficult for both teams to settle into a rhythm. The first real attack came in the sixteenth minute, when Zari Simmons produced a diving header from a Domico Coddington cross, which sailed over the top. The Colts were forced to make an early sub when star striker Jarazinho Bassett was injured in the twenty-eighth minute before he could make an impact.

The game came alive in the last five minutes of the half when young Tre McCallan darted in on goal after receiving the ball from a goal kick, but he would dribble the ball outside. From the resulting goal kick, Cougars’ Chekai Caisey cut inside from the left and unleashed a curling shot, which St. George’s goalkeeper and captain, Freddy Hall, did well to pull in diving to his left.

David Signor should have scored for St. George’s just before the half, when he intercepted a bad back pass by Chris Caisey to his goalkeeper Ricardo Brangman but his shot rolled inches wide of the upright. Cougars dominated possession but lacked that quality touch in the final third as the teams went into the dressing rooms scoreless.

Sub Jahkai Brangman had the opportunity to opening the scoring for St. George’s early in the second half but his angled shot was blocked by Brangman at the near post for a corner.

Nzari Paynter did well to block sub Christian Albuoy’s goalbound effort from point blank range, while Cougars substitute Drewonde Bascome set up Coddington with a perfect cross, but his shot sailed over the top from a good position.

With time running out, Hall would preserve the precious point when he courageously rushed off his line to deny Coddington as he headed for goal.

TEAMS

Devonshire Cougars (4-2-3-1): R Brangman 7 ‒ D Williams 6, Z White 6, Chris Caisey 6, J Thomas 5 ‒ Z Simmons 6, Q Maynard 5 ‒ Chekai Caisey 6, E Darrell 5 (sub: D Bascome 59, 6), L Simmons 5 (sub: C Albuoy 61, 6) ‒ D Coddington. Substitutes not used: K Trott, A Cannonier, M Battersbee, K Minors, J Wade. Booked: D Williams, Z White.

St. George’s Colts (4-2-3-1): F Hall 7 ‒ N Paynter 6, P Anderson 6, T Burgess 6, G Wade 6 ‒ D Signor 6, J Carlington 5 ‒ T McCallan 6 (sub: J. Burgess 46, 4) M Simmons 5 (sub: C Burns 89), J Bassett 4 (sub: J Brangman 28, 5 (sub: A Francis 83) ‒ S Blair-Paynter 5. Substitutes not used: E Signor, J Dickinson, C King. Booked: J Carlington, P Anderson, J Brangman, M Simmons, D Signor.

Referee: T Simons