Devonshire Colts 4-1 Wolves

Sage Blair-Paynter and Jorj Dublin each netted two first-half goals to lead Devonshire Colts to a dominant win over relegation-threatened Wolves at Police Field on Saturday.

Colts were 4-0 up inside 30 minutes largely because of their prowess from set pieces before allowing a second-half consolation goal from Samario Valasse-Paul, and their captain Teniko Eve was pleased with the performance.

“Our set-piece execution was excellent in the first half, which allowed us to control the game,” he said.

“We dropped our level in the second half and that allowed Wolves to get back into the game, and from there it was more transitional.”

Colts started with aggression and opened the scoring inside three minutes when Jahkeylo Burgess found namesake San-Tze Burgess in acres of space just inside the penalty area. The full-back dribbled inside his marker, Kyle Brangman, and side-footed a low cross into the penalty area to allow Blair-Paynter an easy finish from less than ten yards out.

Within a few minutes of opening the scoring, Colts forced Wolves goalkeeper Gatwoine Minors into two fantastic saves, first from Chemarl Henry and then from Blair-Paynter, who tried to chip Minors but his effort was pushed on to the far post before Wolves were able to eventually clear.

Minors soon went from hero to zero as Colts turned the screw on the struggling away side. Deszion Davis whipped a free-kick toward the back post in the sixteenth minute, and the goalkeeper could only parry the set-piece to Blair-Paynter, who slid it into an unguarded net.

Just five minutes later, Colts captain Teniko Eve drove in another free-kick from the edge of the penalty area. This time Minors misjudged his punch to allow defender Dublin to tap in unchallenged at the far post.

Victory was the all but assured in the 30th minute when San-Tze Burgess clipped another free-kick into the penalty area from just inside the attacking half and Minors parried it straight into the thankful stride of Dublin, who placed his effort into the bottom corner to give his side a four-goal advantage at the break.

Wolves, who struggled to maintain any sustained possession or pass through the home side in the first half, adjusted their approach and focused their attacks to the wide areas after the interval.

Shawn James, who came on for Jarred Douglas at half time, was influential in their lone goal. He kept the ball well on the right before playing infield for Khiari Sharrieff. The midfielder floated a perfect pass in for partner Samario Valasse-Paul to fire a powerful low strike toward the near post, which Colts keeper Jaden Mills-Furbert could not keep out.

The remainder of the match was scrappy, with Wolves lacking a killer instinct in the final third. Just before the hour, Mackih McGowan came on for Wolves to bring an additional dimension to their forward line. He held up the ball well, but the wide players failed to deliver any crosses of quality into the box for him.

Instead, Colts had the best opportunity to score again. Eve retrieved a deep cross from Henry and cheekily backheeled it to substitute Daniel Ball. But Minors was equal to Ball's placed effort as he palmed the strike around his post.

SCORERS

Devonshire Colts: Blair-Paynter 3, 16; Dublin 21, 30

Wolves: Valasse-Paul 50

TEAMS

Devonshire Colts (4-2-3-1): J Mills-Furbert 6 – S Burgess 6, J Dublin 7, D Davis 6, J Paynter 6 (sub: F Lema, 70min 6) – T Eve 6 (sub: I Naylor, 85), Moziah Selassie 6 (sub: J Salaam, 70 6) – S Blair-Paynter 7 (sub: K Burch, 60 5), J Burgess 6, B O’Connor 6 (sub: D Ball, 60 5) – C Henry 5. Substitutes not used: A Smith, Malahku Selassie.

Wolves (4-1-4-1): G Minors 7 – D Botelho 5 (sub: S Wild, 75), J Minors 6 (sub: K Smith, 83), J Martin 5, K Brangman 5 – K Sharrieff 6 – T Outerbridge 5, J Douglas 5 (sub: S James, 46 5), S Valasse-Paul 6, K Browne 5 – A Butterfield 5 (sub: M McGowan, 58 5). Substitutes not used: S Brown, C Smith. Booked: Sharrieff, Butterfield.

Referee: A Francis