North Village 2 Wolves 1

North Village saved their best for last to finally find a way past a determined Wolves outfit just moments before the final whistle at Bernard Park yesterday and so wrap up the 2001-2 league championship in triumphant fashion.

Amid joyous scenes after the match, Village fans, players and coaching staff assembled in the middle of the field in a massive heap of red and white to celebrate the home team's first league title in 23 years.

And it was only fitting that some members of Village's 1977-78 triple-crown winning team were in attendance to witness another chapter in the club's history.

After Village's Dwight (Payback) Warren and Wolves' Rashid Ebbins exchanged goals in the first half, the stage was set for Kentoine Jennings to apply the finishing touch that gave his team the coveted title.

"The opportunity came and I took it," said an elated Jennings after the match. "We were not looking forward to having to go down to the last round of league matches to decide the title, so we just pushed forward and in the end it paid off.

"It now makes it easier for the team to concentrate without any added pressure looking ahead to the Friendship Trophy final and FA Cup semi-final next month."

Although yesterday's match won't go down in history as one of Village's better performances, it was sufficient to give the club a well deserved fourth league crown.

After Warren had given his team an ideal start after ten minutes, Clay Smith and Jamaul Boyles both saw their creative efforts desperately cleared away as Village enjoyed the lion's share of possession during the opening stages.

However, as the half continued Wolves came back into the match and moments before the interval the teams were level as Ebbins' close range shot found a way through heavy traffic and past a hapless Zane Hendrickson in the Village goal.

During a special presentation at the break, Village's heroes of 1977-78 were honoured for their past exploits.

Village appeared to step their game up a notch in the second half, with Smith and Kentoine Jennings having two shots brilliantly saved by Williams who could be credited for keeping his team in contention.

At the other end, Vince Minors had a close range header cleared away while Jared Peniston also went close.

Wolves defender Jermaine Douglas saw a thunderous 30 yard free kick go narrowly wide but soon it would be all Village as Smith, Warren and Kevin Jennings all came close to finding the mark entering the latter stages of the match.

With injury time looming it began to look as though the championship would have to wait another week before taking up new residence.

However, Jennings had other ideas and in a move reminiscent of his late heroics against Somerset seven days earlier he was to once again get on the receiving end of a Kevin Jennings' cross from the left and powerfully head home the decider that secured the championship and sparked scenes of jubilation.

Wolves now find themselves in serious relegation trouble, needing to win their remaining match against Devonshire Cougars to escape the drop.

North Villlage: Z.Hendrickson, J.Thomas, R.Spence, K.Binns (M.Dill, 85 mins), Ken. Jennings, J.Boyles, Kev. Jennings, M.Hansey, C.Smith, D.Warren, V.Tankard (D.Coddington, 57 mins).

Wolves: W.Williams, J.Douglas, T.Trott, J.Simmons, T.Davis, R.Ebbins (J.Francis, 50 mins), P.Sampson, J.Peniston, V.Minors,(N.Webb, 86 mins), N.Smith, C.Simmons.

Booked: R.Spence, M.Hansey (North Village); C.Simmons (Wolves).

Men Of the Match: Kentoine Jennings (North Village); Winslow Williams (Wolves).

Referee: Stuart Crockwell.