Devonshire Cougars 3North Village 0

Devonshire Cougars didn’t have to venture far to collect the Premier Division championship yesterday. In fact they didn’t have to travel at all as North Village rolled over and played dead at the Den and virtually handed over the spoils to their hosts on a silver platter.

An opportunistic Shaki Minors first-half strike coupled by second half contributions from Omar Butterfield — who scored an absolute gem of a goal that would make any highlight reel — and Raymond Beach earned the Big Cats a second league title in three-seasons — and one they’ll probably long cherish.

“I think all of our players realised what they had to do to win today. And fortunately for us we got the first goal which carried us through the rest of the match,” commented a jubilant Cougars’ coach Shawn (Snake) Smith following his team’s comprehensive win on home soil.

“Psychologically we knew we had to score first. And once we got the go-ahead goal it was just a matter of keeping our advantage. I also thought our guys defended well in numbers.”

Cougars’ back quartet of Darius Cox, Ijahmon Mallory, Jeremy DeShield and Joshua Butterfield put on perhaps their best defensive display of the season. And on the rare occasions Village threatened in front of goal, Cougars’ ‘keeper Ricardo Brangman was equal to task — particularly in the second half when he risked his health on two occasions to maintain a clean sheet between the posts.

The tireless hustle of midfielders Omar Butterfield and Mark Smith also gave Cougars a decisive edge in the middle of the park where Village struggled to find any rhythm and keep their footing in the muddy conditions.

In big games it’s big players who are able to make clutch plays.

But the diminutive Omar Butterfield proved that the little guys can do it too, intercepting the ball just inside Village territory and beating Hendrickson — who paid a heavy price for straying off his line — with a blast from 35 yards.

Hendrickson probably wouldn’t have saved Butterfield’s humdinger even if he’d been warned weeks in advance, such was the precision and pace of the latter’s masterpiece which he unselfishly dedicated to the memory of late Cougars player Corey (Funza) Smith who once donned the same number four jersey as Butterfield.

“Great goal,” was how coach Smith summed up the delightful strike.

“From the time the ball left his boot it was always going to hit the back of the net. It was a great goal and deserving of a match such as this today.

“It was probably the best goal that I’ve seen scored in Bermuda, outside of the ones I’ve scored of course.”

Cougars’ captain Kwame Steede didn’t score on this occasion. But his on-field contributions were no less appreciated.

“The game plan was to fight for everything today because together everyone achieves more,” he explained, gasping for breath after taking a lap of honour around the pitch with his ecstatic team-mates.

“We all worked hard this season and played together as one and this is what carried us through.”

Cougars’ assistant coach Gary (Tuba) Mallory is usually a physical tower of strength. But not even the former Cougars, Village and Boulevard forward could hold back the tears of joy.

“This was a very emotional win for me today; watching my son play and the sons of former team-mates against my old team (Village),” he said, struggling to keep his emotions in check.

“It was a very emotional and sentimental win made even sweeter by winning at home.”

Mallory was a member of some of the best Cougars teams ever assembled at the Den. But even he put the club’s current crop on a pedestal in their latest moment of triumph.

“We helped pave the way. But this team has won trophies and so you have to give them their due,” he said.

“And they deserve to win having put in the hard work and sacrifice.”

On this particular day Cougars would not be denied against a lethargic Village team that never woke up. Perhaps someone forgot to remind the Reds to set their clocks one hour ahead before going to bed on Saturday night.

Reds’ ‘keeper Zane Hendrickson had a nightmare between the uprights while the team’s key target men all misfired up front. Village also defended poorly and failed to find an answer to Cougars’ preference for the long ball — or the the aggressive running of Minors, skipper Kwame Steede and youngster Lamont Brangman up front.

Having quickly set the tempo, it wasn’t surprising to see Cougars take the early lead.

But once Minors’ telling strike had set the grounds — packed to capacity — ablaze, nobody could’ve predicted the ease with which the Big Cats methodically stripped Village of their league title.

Cougars fired on all cylinders. But the same could not be said of Dwayne Adams’ bunch who were simply out of their depth on this occasion.

“Not enough of our guys showed up today. We just didn’t show up at all today and made a few errors that ultimately cost us,” the Village coach lamented.

In truth Cougars dominant display sent chills down the spines of Village fans, many who were left looking for answers after watching their team get humbled by a more purposeful Cougars outfit.

“In games like these once your opponents get on top it’s difficult to get over. Cougars are a very good team and they came out firing on all cylinders. We just wasn’t a factor today,” Adams said.

It was perhaps a gross understatement as a determined Cougars grabbed this match by the scruff of the neck and tightened their grip as time wore on.

Minors got the ball rolling when he nodded home a measured Cox free kick that Hendrickson spilled into his path from close range.

Village were then repeatedly let off the hook as the Big Cats went on a search and destroy mission in their opponent’s half of the field.

Steede nearly came close twice to adding to his team’s lead while Lamont Brangman side-footed just wide of the uprights with Hendrickson again a beaten man. Village also dodged a bullet when a linesmen’s flag thwarted Minors who gained possession acres in front of last man Randy Spence.

The Reds’ luck, however, finally ran out as Butterfield delivered the crushing blow that proved to be the proverbial straw that broke the Rams’ back.

Intercepting the ball just outside the centre circle, Butterfield took a quick glance at goal and then unleashed a spectacular drive that left Hendrickson clutching at thin air as the ball soared into the roof of the net.

Village made a few substitutions in a desperate attempt to salvage the match, and did create chances.

But the Cougars championship express steamed on with sub Beach putting the result beyond doubt by slotting home his team’s third and final tally to ceremoniously complete the changing of the guard.

Devonshire Cougar>: R.Brangman, D.Cox, I.Mallory, J.Butterfield, J.DeShield, M.Smith, O.Butterfield, C.Caisey (K.Bean, 85 mins), L.Brangman (K.Tucker, 61 mins), K.Steede (capt), S.Minors (R.Beach, 66 mins).

North Village: Z.Hendrickson, J.Boyles (M.Hansey, 70 mins), R.Spence, R.Wilson, K.Dill, Kai. Dill (J.Jennings, 45 mins), R.Bean jr (capt), K.Jennings, S.Hollis, K.Bean (N.Smith, 62 mins), V.TankarB>

Yellow cards<$>: R.Wilson (Village)

Men of the ma<$>: O.Butterfield (Cougars); R.Spence (Village).

Referee: Anthony Mouchette.

Cougars’ day of glory