Classy Village crush leaders
Devonshire Colts 0 North Village 5
North Village exposed the seven-day stay of Devonshire Colts at the top of the Premier Division as nothing more than a visit to 'Fantasy Island', after a comprehensive beating at White Hill Field yesterday.
Such was Village's dominance that the final scoreline did them scant justice after a performance that hit the heights of the “Total Football” which Kenny Thompson, now the club's technical director, promised when he took over as coach five seasons ago.
Amid a bevy of top-notch displays in the Village line-up, Kentoine Jennings, the central defender, and midfield players Michael Hansey and Vernon Tankard were outstanding.
Ralph Bean, in his farewell match before returning to school abroad today, scored twice with Jamaul Boyles, substitute Tafari Outerbridge and Tankard finding the net after the interval to leave Colts a disorganised heap of orange and white, so soon before the same clubs meet again in the FA Cup quarter-finals this Sunday.
The opening goal came inside 90 seconds, Bean scoring from close range after a Clay Smith free kick cannoned through a loose defensive wall into his path.
Bean should have made it two in the 12th minute after Randy Spence picked him out in the middle with a fine diagonal pass, but the youngster scuffed his shot.
With Hansey and Co. winning the midfield battle against a Colts side who packed five in the middle, Village soon hit top stride with a passing game that often left the home team chasing shadows.
Andre Hendrickson, the Colts goalkeeper, did well to save with his feet after Tankard was played through in the 30th minute, but there was little he could do to prevent the second, Bean getting the decisive touch on the end of a Boyles drive after the initial shot by Jennings was charged down.
Colts responded with their only shot of the game in the 34th minute and it took a good save by Zane Hendrickson to deny Jason Dill, the left wing-back, who otherwise was given a torrid time by Tarik Jennings.
Clay Smith went close with a left-foot volley after another good move and Jennings ended the half with a dynamite header that tested the reflexes of Hendrickson.
The fortunes of the home team took a turn for the worse with the departure of Kuma Smith, their most creative midfield player, near the end of the half after he failed to shake off the effects of a knock to the thigh.
Kevin Simpson replaced a hobbling Dill nine minutes into the second half and the former Village youth team player was given a taste of Tarik Jennings almost immediately.
Isolated against Simpson on the right with no defensive cover approaching, Jennings ghosted past his man and struck a hard and low cross that Boyles converted ahead of a static Colts defence.
It became a matter of ‘how much?' as Colts' confidence was at an alarming low. Outerbridge, just on for Smith, side-footed tamely to Hendrickson after being set up by Bean but the substitute finished with style in the 67th minute after he and Kentoine Jennings reacted to a quickly-taken free kick with only Shannon Burgess and then the goalkeeper to contend with.
Five minutes later, Tankard adroitly chipped an indecisive Hendrickson to complete a display that Scott Morton, the coach, termed as a “touch of class”.
Devonshire Colts: A.Hendrickson; M.Hollis, S.Burgess, Jermel Belboda; J.Dill (K.Simpson, 54 mins), G.Gibbons, D.Zuill (Q.Aberdeen, 68 mins), K.Smith (J.Aberdeen, 40 mins), K.Burchall; L.Holder, C.Hill. Substitutes not used: K.Bean, R.Douglas. Booked: Burgess, Gibbons.
North Village: Z.Hendrickson; R.Spence, Ken.Jennings, K.Binns, J.Thomas; V.Tankard, M.Hansey, J.Boyles (D.Warren, 73 mins), T.Jennings (Kev.Jennings, 58 mins); C.Smith (T.Outerbridge, 58 mins), R.Bean. Substitutes not used: M.Dill, D.Adams.
Men of the match: Andre Hendrickson (Colts); Michael Hansey (Village).
Referee: George O'Brien