Bring out the superlatives!

Only descriptive extremes could truly explain what occurred yesterday at Devonshire Rec. in a most bizarre extra-time session.

For Devonshire Cougars? fans it was the worst of fates while North Village supporters screamed with delight as their club ? already disadvantaged with a man sent off ? fought back to score two goals within two minutes in the second period of extended action, earning an unbelievable 3-3 draw and a replay.

The red and white sections of the crowd could hardly contain themselves as player/coach Kentoine Jennings, coming on as a substitute and making some probing runs down the right wing, led the Rams? spirited revival in this heart-pounding FA Cup quarter-final.

At 3-1 down, the visitors looked dead ? if not buried ? as the big cats? livewire forward Domico Coddington smashed past a diving Adrian Burrows to give the hosts a two-goal cushion in the 107th minute, just after the second half of extra time began.

Thirteen minutes remained but a quick glance around the pitch revealed pockets of Village?s faithful were already exiting the ground. After all, why stick around to see your side soundly whipped, they must have thought.

Well, what a spectacular turnaround they missed!

It started in the 113th minute when Jennings, who replaced injured substitute Kaiwon Dill in the 84th minute, swept down the right wing and delivered a perfect cross which Nakia Smith rose at the back post to despatch powerfully into the net.

That was 3-2 but Village still needed another goal and with Cougars tight in defence while also creating attacking opportunities it should have been a tall order. However, just two minutes later, it was all even as Damon Edwards, in the face of personal peril, drove the ball past oncoming relief goalkeeper Dyke Lawrence from close range to send shockwaves through the Den.

As Edwards, who clattered into the Cougars custodian as he sealed his heroic effort, writhed in agony on the turf, the Rams ? particularly Smith and Keith Jennings who combined to set up the scorer ? hugged and punched the air in jubilation. By contrast, Cougars stood stunned and motionless; their unwelcome and quickly-increasing reputation as a team that chokes in major matches assuming cruel proportions.

Their sudden plummet in fortune swiftly rekindled memories of two other significant occasions on which they let slip a two-goal lead to disastrous consequences. How those losses ? both to Dandy Town ? in last year?s FA Cup final and in the Champions Cup crescendo on January 2 must have played on their fragile minds ? just as they were trying to get over the absence of key players Raymond Beach, Heys Wolfe and Omar Butterfield for refusing to submit a third drug test last week.

That repeated inability to kill off the opposition was utmost in coach Andrew Bascome?s thoughts as he frustratingly contemplated a replay rather than what appeared an easy passage into the semi-finals.

?I?m very, very disappointed. I brought on an extra defensive midfielder with ten minutes left and they (Village) still managed to get the ball in for a one-two. That?s always a problem ? the one-two in front of our back three. We haven?t fixed it,? he declared irately.

?I don?t know what?s wrong, if we get complacent or if we need a change in formation but we have to understand that when it?s that late in a game teams are just going to throw people forward and we must absorb and redirect the pressure but we have not learnt that.?

He also lamented the fact that, after surging ahead 3-1, Cougars failed to convert at least four other plum, goal-scoring chances; very often with lazy finishing.

?We failed to capitalise and they came back and scored so we have to pay the price,? said Bascome, noting that from a spectator?s viewpoint it was ?a great game?.

Both teams enjoyed their fair share of scoring opportunities during regulation time with all the goalkeepers being tested at various junctures and effecting some impressive saves. In one instance, Keith Jennings and Rams skipper Ralph (Gumbo) Bean Jr. both rocked Cougars framework on the same play during the first half. Coddington, who eventually bagged a brace, dragged a left-foot shot past the right post before being thwarted by Michael Hansey on another attack.

Just as the teams seemed set to go to the break with a goalless stalemate, Keith Jennings smacked a thunderous free kick from 25 yards that forced Cougars keeper Ricardo Brangman to dive full-stretch to his right to parry wide.

The ensuing corner, taken by Keith, curled into the goal as Brangman flailed at the ball unsuccessfully. Referee Lyndon Raynor signalled half time thereafter, allowing Cougars to assess the severity of an injury to Brangman whose hand was hurt as Village went 1-0 up.

Lawrence, who was substituted for Brangman at the interval, kept Cougars in the match with some sterling work, including an airborne, left-handed parry to divert a strong Smith header. He was also struck full blast in the face diving forward to block a Jemieko Jennings rocket.

In the 74th minute, Coddington, who had promised so much with his aggressive pace, finally hit the mark for Cougars as Joshua Butterfield found him in space with a good cross from the right wing. The former exhibited deft control before beating Burrows to his left from close range.

Five minutes later, the Rams were down to ten men as Vernon Tankard was sent to an early shower for his second bookable offence within two minutes.

The 1-1 deadlock prevailed until the first half of extra time when Aljame Zuill headed Cougars into the lead in the 101st minute. Spectators could hardly have guessed that would be the beginning of the fireworks. R.Brangman (D.Lawrence, 45 mins), S.Smith, D.Cox, J.Simmons, K.Goddard, J.Deshields, J.Butterfield, K.Steede, C.Caisey (N.Robinson, 45 mins), D.Coddington, A.Zuill (R.Swan, 113 mins). A.Burrows, Kofi Dill, M.Hansey, V.Tankard, J.Boyles, D.Edwards (M.Crane, 115 mins), K.Jennings, D.Wade (K.Dill, 45 mins (Kentoine Jennings, 84 mins)), J.Jennings, R.Bean Jr, N.Smith. V.Tankard (North Village, 79 mins).N.Robinson (Devonshire); J.Jennings (North Village). S.Smith/D.Cox (Devonshire); M.Hansey (North Village). L.Raynor.