Devonshire Cougars 3 Wolves 3

Wolves entered this match facing an insurmountable task.

Win big against Cougars and hope for Hamilton Parish to win big against Young Men’s Social Club to stand any chance off avoiding the drop.

Cougars had already secured their top-flight status but needed to be cautious not to pick up any injuries or unnecessary cards for their end-of-season FA Cup final against league champions North Village in a few weeks.

In the end, this match ended in a 3-3 draw with all goals coming in the first half of this entertaining match at Devonshire Rec on Sunday.

Wolves ended the game with two red cards as the red mist descended in their final game in the top division.

With Wolves falling short of their target, they are now officially relegated to the First Division, but went down fighting Wolves head coach Vincent Minors Jr had nothing but praise for his young charges despite the relegation.

“We have had an unfortunate season, Minors told The Royal Gazette. “In at least five of our games, we have had mental lapses and gave away goals late which cost us.”

When asked about a quick return to the Premier Division, Minors was optimistic.

“We have a good core of players and hopefully [Khari] Sharrieff and [Kydan] Browne stay. I know they are in demand and wanted by other teams but hopefully they will both stay with us and help build our team. If they do, we should be OK for a quick return.”

Knowing what was at stake, a spirited Wolves unit, ably assisted by FC Bascome academy players Khari Sharrieff and Kydan Browne, both 16 but playing with a maturity beyond their years, took the match to their hosts.

Cougars opened the scoring early when Elijah Darrell ran on to a perfectly weighted through-ball to place his shot beyond the advancing Chiquon Smith in the Wolves goal.

Wolves equalised soon after when goalkeeper Q’Shai Darrell fumbled Browne’s bouncing shot, with Torque Outerbridge quickest to respond to head the ball home.

The visitors took the lead on the half-hour with a clinical finish. Browne curled his right-footed effort into the top left corner of Darrell’s net, leaving the keeper clutching at thin air.

But Cougars responded within a minute when Wolves goalkeeper Smith did well to parry Elijah Darrell’s goalbound effort off the line, only for centre half Mackih McGowan to divert the ball into his own net with the attempted clearance.

Wolves kept pressing, with Sharrieff instrumental in many of their attacks and would take the lead with their third when a misunderstanding between Cougars goalkeeper Darrell and his defence allowed Browne to sneak between them and plant his shot home.

Chemari Burns brought the teams level again just before the half when two Wolves players collided, with the loose ball rolling to Burns whose shot sailed into the net despite a diving effort from Smith.

Wolves continued their fight into the second half and thought they had scored when Darrell misjudged a bouncing ball which was heading for goal, but Cougars captain Zari Simmons did well to recover and clear the ball off the line. The stopper redeemed himself when he dived full length to deny the shot from the resulting corner.

Wolves’ task was made even harder when captain Jahmori Martin was dismissed in the 72nd minute for a second cautionable offence. Substitute Jovon Minors was also dismissed for shouting foul and abusive language from the bench in dispute of referee Tashun Simons’s decision.

Cougars coach Kwame Steede came on as a 77th-minute substitute and missed two golden opportunities to score the winner when he rounded stand-in goalkeeper Gatwoine Minors, but his soft shot was easily cleared by the recovering McGowan. Steede then had his volley saved by a diving Minors a minute later to keep the score level.

With the match entering its dying minutes, goalkeeper Darrell preserved a point for Cougars, diving to deny Morricko Iris’s low drive after Samario Valasse-Paul picked him out with an inch-perfect cross.

SCORERS

Devonshire Cougars: E Darrell 10, McGowan og 31, Burns 43

Wolves: Outerbridge 17, Browne 30, 36

TEAMS

Devonshire Cougars (4-2-3-1): Q Darrell 6 — M Paynter 6, Z Simmons 6, D Coddington 6 (sub: K Steede, 77min), J Thomas 6 — C Burns 6, Cashun Brangman 6 — M Mills 5, C Albuoy 5, E Darrell 6 (sub: K Mills-Wilson, 62 5) — Chae Brangman 5 (sub: J Mouchette, 46 5). Booked: Chae Brangman, E Darrell, Mills.

Wolves (4-2-3-1): C Smith 6 (sub: M Ming, 77) — L Paynter 6, M McGowan 6, G Minors 6, J Minors 5 (sub: D Bothelo, 61 5) — J Martin 6, K Sharrieff 7 — T Outerbridge 6 (sub: J Steede, 78), K Browne 7, M Iris 6 — S Valasse-Paul 6. Booked: Martin, G Minors. Sent off: Martin, J Minors.

Referee: T Simons.