Devonshire Cougars 3 Wolves 1

Devonshire Cougars came from behind to beat Wolves in a fiercely contested FA Cup first-round derby at Devonshire Rec last night.

Wolves led 1-0 at half-time with a goal from Torque Outerbridge before Cougars responded after the restart through Chae Brangman’s brace and another from substitute Lejuan Simmons to complete the fightback.

Both teams played in honour and observed a moment of silence for Wolves and former Cougars midfielder Jawonday Smith, who died suddenly this week. Smith’s parents, Shawn, the former Cougars captain, and mother, Janell, were among those in attendance.

Cougars coach Kwame Steede said the game lived up to his expectations.

“Both teams had to dig deep because it was a derby plus the FA Cup and I expected that type of game,” he told The Royal Gazette.

Cougars started brightly with Brangman being twice denied by Wolves stopper Gatwoine Minors and Elisha Darrell heading captain Zari Simmons’s corner wide.

Outerbridge put Wolves ahead against the run of play when he exchanged passes with Antinori Butterfield and his low drive from inside the box beat goalkeeper Q’Shai Darrell.

Cougars continued to create chances after the restart. Brangman had a shot deflected over the bar and another attempt blocked, while Domico Coddington blasted over from eight yards.

Brangman also had a goal disallowed for offside as Cougars pressed for the equaliser.

Brangman and Coddington missed glaring opportunities after failing to convert a Simmons cross when virtually standing on the goal line.

Wolves’ luck finally ran out when Brangman headed in Demetre Daniel’s corner and then put the home side ahead from the penalty spot after Coddington was tripped in the area.

Simmons then put the game beyond reach with a clinical finish in only his second game back after recovering from an Achilles tendon injury.

“We had our opportunities but we didn’t play the football we should have played,” Wolves captain Jahmori Martin said.

SCORERS

Devonshire Cougars: Brangman 65, 76 pen, L Simmons 90

Wolves: Outerbridge 10

TEAMS

Devonshire Cougars (4-1-4-1): Q Darrell 7 — C Caisey 7, L Millett 7, Z White 7, Z Simmons 7 (sub: J Brimmer, 80min) — D Daniels 7 (sub: M Mills, 85) — M Thomas 8, C Burns 6, D Coddington 8, E Darrell 6 (sub: L Simmons, 70 7) — C Brangman 7 (sub: J Wade, 85). Substitutes not used: N Carmichael. Booked: White, Caisey.

Wolves (4-1-4-1): G Minors 8 — M Ming 7 (sub: K Evans, 67 6), J Martin 7, M Mello-Cann 7, K Douglas 7 — S Valasse-Paul 7 — K Sharrieff 6, K Browne 7 (sub: S Wild, 82), A Butterfield 6 (sub: K Sharrieff-Hayward, 59 6), T Outerbridge 7 — J Douglas 7 (sub: M McGowan, 82). Substitutes not used: C Smith, S Brown. Booked: Martin, Mello-Cann, Valasse-Paul.

Referee: J Springer (Barbados).