Devonshire Cougars 1

North Village 4<$f$>

North Village sauntered to their second comprehensive victory over Devonshire Cougars within four days to move into the semi-finals of the Friendship Trophy.

With two goals by Kentoine Jennings and one each by Clay Smith and Ralph Bean, Village displayed a dominance at St. John's Field last night that surpassed the recent performance in the league, which yielded the same scoreline.

Not even an own goal by Jennings, which drew Cougars level in the first-half, could alter the course of events as Village were easily the more composed outfit in the last 45 minutes in which the Martonmere Cup champions could muster only one shot on goal.

"We know that we can play a lot better," Scott Morton, the Village coach, said afterwards. "I think the players are tired of being in the position we're in in the tables. They're coming out with all that they have and we're seeing in it these two displays."

Michael Hansey was central to the positive start that Village made, as he took a hold of the middle of the park and rarely lost a grip, with Vernon Tankard on his left and Bean up front providing the dazzle.

Cougars sported a changed line-up to Sunday, with the most noticeable difference being the return of Tori Henry in goal in place of Ricardo Brangman, who had conceded nine goals in his past two games.

But the big man had an unsettled opening when he mishandled on his first involvement in the third minute, Cougars surviving a narrow escape.

At the other end, in what would prove a rare attack, Raymond Beach was denied by the quick reactions of Zane Hendrickson, the Village goalkeeper, followed by centre-half Kimandi Binns' block after the Cougars forward found space on the inside left.

Village went into the lead with a soft goal in the 22nd minute after an under-hit Henry clearance was headed back into the area by Marlon Dill. A wayward back pass then let Smith in to tap in a simple opening goal.

This shocked Cougars into action and it took Hendrickson's powers of recovery to maintain Village's lead, as he dived well to parry a Mark Smith snap shot and scrambled to his feet to gather with Beach pouncing.

Kwame Steede came close in the 29th minute but Cougars would get level two minutes later when Kentoine Jennings diverted a Kori Goddard cross past Hendrickson after Randy Spence was caught in possession.

A well-worked set-piece put Village in front to stay nine minutes into the second-half. Hansey's free-kick from the right was twice nodded on before Jennings scored comfortably at the back post.

And, before Cougars had time to gather themselves, it was 3-1, after a dynamite run by Jawan Thomas, the Village right-back, was ended unlawfully by Keemo Smith, who had moments earlier replaced the injured Kori Goddard.

Henry guessed right but Jennings's spot-kick was too good, and Village had the two-goal lead their play deserved.

From that point, Cougars became more ragged and it was no little surprise when Wali Salaam, their midfield enforcer who was earlier booked on the stroke of half-time, was sent off for hitting out allegedly against Tankard on the hour.

Bean, who appeared to be the target of some rough play early on, completed the scoring in the 79th minute when he got on the end of a good pass from midfield and kept his composure from close range after Henry did well to save the initial shot.

Tarik Jennings and Dwight Warren, both substitutes, came close to adding to the one-sided result before Cougars put their first shot on target in the half, Hendrickson saving comfortably from Beach.

"We're going through a rough patch right now," Shawn Smith, the Cougars player-coach, said. "We just have to stick together to overcome it."Devonshire Cougars: T.Henry; M.Dill, S.Smith, C.Smith, D.Brangman (W.Swan, 43 mins); D.Eve (H.Wolfe, 63 mins), K.Steede, W.Salaam, K.Goddard (K.Smith, 55 mins); R.Beach, M.Smith. Substitutes not used: A.Wolffe, P.Mallory. Booked: Salaam, Swan. Sent off: Salaam

North Village: Z.Hendrickson; R.Spence, Ken.Jennings, K.Binns, J.Thomas; V.Tankard, M.Hansey, J.Boyles (D.Warren, 65 mins), M.Dill (S.Goater, 55 mins); C.Smith (T.Jennings, 79 mins), R.Bean. Substitutes not used: C.Augustus, Kev.Jennings.

Men of the match: C.Smith (Cougars); J.Thomas (Village).

Referee: George O'Brien.

lTomorrow's scheduled Premier Division fixture between Devonshire Cougars and St. George's has been re-arranged for next Tuesday at Devonshire Recreation Club.The match will start at 9 p.m. as the second part of a double-header that will include Paget taking on Southampton in a First Division match postponed from October 7.

The much-anticipated Women's League clash between Rude Girls and Hemisphere Royals will go ahead as scheduled tomorrow at Devonshire Rec. (7 p.m.).