Dandy Town 2 Devonshire Colts 1

League champions Dandy Town started off the season with a sparkling performance and more silverware - but at a price.

Only Paul Cann's late strike separated Town and FA Cup holders Colts in the Charity Cup season curtain-raiser on Sunday night, but the scoreline did not tell the tale of the Hornets' dominance.

Town created and missed a plethora of chances - including two penalties - as Colts struggled to keep up with the pace.

But the victory was costly, as two key players, Carlos Smith and new signing Janeiro Tucker, were stretchered off with knee injuries.

Fleet-footed forward Smith, who had tormented the Colts' defence throughout with his terrifying pace and scored the opening goal, appeared to be the most seriously hurt and an ambulance took him to hospital.

"I'm very pleased with the performance tonight, but I just feel disheartened by the injuries," said Town coach Andrew Bascome after the match. "I believe Carlos has twisted his knee. We can't replace his speed, speed is not something you can coach. Carlos has worked hard and his enthusiasm has been great.

"Janeiro's not too bad. His knee was jarred by a challenge."

Both sides started at a frenetic pace and it was only after a patchy first 15 minutes that composure started to come into play.

Kuma Smith almost gave Colts the lead with a curling 25-yard free-kick, but then Town started to take command.

Darron Simons should have put the Hornets ahead on 17 minutes, when Reggie Tucker's pass put him in the clear. Simons rounded Colts goalkeeper Kevin Bean but his rather tame shot was cleared off the line by Kevin Simpson.

Carlos Smith showed his electrifying pace in the 34th minute when he outran two Colts' defenders to get his head to a long clearance from goalkeeper Jason Smith, but with Bean beaten, Shannon Burgess managed to clear from inside his six-yard box.

Bean produced fine saves to twice deny Reggie Tucker, but blotted his copybook when his rash challenge gifted Town a penalty in the 37th minute. Bean's poor clearance under pressure from Carlos Smith fell to Simons and the Town striker went down under Bean's wild sliding tackle. Carlos Smith scuffed the penalty however, and shot wide of the right-hand post.

In first-half injury time, Simons missed a golden chance to cap an excellent Town move, when Devarr Boyles pulled the ball back from the left, but the striker shot wide from 10 yards.

The breakthrough came for Town just seven minutes after the interval, in somewhat fortunate circumstances.

Colts scrambled clear a corner as far as Reggie Tucker, whose shot was deflected into the path of Carlos Smith who gleefully volleyed in from close range.

Five minutes later, the goalscorer's night turned sour. After once more causing panic in the Colts defence with a run into the penalty area, Smith was brought down by substitute Dennis Zuill and referee Stuart Crockwell pointed once more to the spot.

Smith was stretchered off, clearly in pain and then to confound Town's frustration, Lionel Furbert's spot kick was saved by Bean, diving to his left.

Boyles miscued a volley from eight yards out, and then Cann's cross was somehow missed by Simons and Reggie Tucker, who were queuing up six yards from goal, as early season rustiness manifested itself.

The missed chances came back to haunt Town eight minutes from time when prolific Colts striker Aljame Zuill opened his account for the season with a brave, low diving header from two yards out to level the scores at 1-1.

But parity was only to last five minutes, as Cann restored Town's lead three minutes from the end, controlling the ball on his chest and hitting a precise half-volley into the bottom right-hand corner of the net to give his side the Cup.

Colts alomost managed to force extra time however, but Jason Smith made a stunning save to tip Keimon Lawrence's fiercely struck 25-yard free-kick around the post.

Town: J.Smith, D.Binns, K.Mundy, R.Swan, L.Christopher, L.Furbert, K.Hurdle (J.Tucker 53 mins (R.Bascome 82 mins)), R.Tucker, D.Boyles, C.Smith (P.Cann 65 mins), D.Simons.

Colts: K.Bean, S.Burgess, K.Simpson, M.Bean (K.Lawrence 78 mins), J.Belboda, J.Aberdeen, J.Dill (D.Zuill 52 mins), K.Smith, C.Hill, A.Zuill, J.Butterfield (Q.Aberdeen 50 mins).

Men of the match: Devarr Boyles (Town); Aljame Zuill (Colts).

Yellow cards: K.Smith (Colts); R.Swan (Town).

Referee: S.Crockwell

Rude Girls 5 Hem. Royals 1

Two early goals from Chevonne Furbert set Rude girls on their way to a crushing victory in the Women's Charity Cup final against Hemisphere Royals.

Furbert struck in the 13th and 26th minutes and when Tamisha Darrell added Rude Girls' third goal in the 29th minute, Royals were left with a mountain to climb.

Shequila Parsons made it 4-0 to Rude Girls in the 67th minute.

Royals did manage to pull one back 17 minutes from time, when Tanya Semos converted from the penalty spot.

But Tameaka Thomas rounded off a great night for Rude Girls with an 89th-minute goal to leave the final score at 5-1.