Just about a year ago Devonshire Cougars were wrapping up promotion back to the First Division.

Last night at Devonshire Rec, in a match against their promotion partners, the home team picked up another vital survival point while St. David's made little progress in their bid to avoid the drop.

Instead of sharing the points, St. David's had the best chances to win the match. Two of the better opportunities fell to striker Keith Jennings early and late in the match, while in between Cougars enjoyed good periods which suggested they might pull off another vital win.

Leon Place in the Cougars goal was forced into action inside the first minute when Jennings' curling shot from the right side threatened to go in under the bar before Place tipped it over the top.

In the 15th minute another cross from the right side, this time from Chae Simmons, also caused Place problems before he pulled off another good save.

St. David's looked the more composed during the opening period and should have taken the lead in the 24th minute.

Simmons did the work on the left side and his low, hard shot was parried by Place. Jennings was quick to pounce six yards from goal but somehow he put the effort wide.

After that St. David's lost their edge as Cougars got more into the game with Stephen Coddington, Wali Salaam and George Dyer starting to create things in midfield. By and large the St. David's defence kept striker Philip Clarke and Mark Smith quiet and at the start of the second half, Cougars tried to correct that by replacing Smith with Galvin Butterfield.

Butterfield provided more urgency up front but St. David's, even without Gregg Foggo and Del Hollis, stood firm in defence.

The closest Cougars came to breaking the deadlock came in the 66th minute when a shot from Coddington grazed the crossbar. The better of the chances fell to St. David's in counter-attacks late in the game as substitute Keith Gibbons was put through by Jawan Thomas' freekick but he wasted the chance on the left side of the box.

Jennings looked certain to score 10 minutes from the end when goalkeeper Kuhn Evans long kick upfield was allowed to bounce by Kenneth Swan and Sheldon Caisey in the middle of the Cougars defence. Jennings raced through and his attempted first time lob over Place was well off target.

The draw hurt St. David more for while Cougars moved another place in the standings to sixth, St. David's are five points behind Boulevard who play their weekend game tomorrow at home to PHC An eight point gap might just be too much for St. David's to close in the final five matches of the season.

Cougars: L.Place; T.James, S.Caisey, K.Swan, M.Dill, S.Coddington, W.Salaam, G.Dyer (C.Campbell 75min), D.Brangman, M.Smith (G.Butterfield 46min), P.Clarke.

St. David's: K.Evans; J.Thomas, D.Tyrell, J.Warren, S.Pitcher, E.Wolffe, C.Simmons, P.White (T.Weeks 89min), K.Jennings, S.Goater, T.Outerbridge (K.Gibbons 61min).

Wolves 1 Paget 0 Wolves moved into second place in the Second Division with a narrow win in the opening match. In a night of missed chances, Wolves had to be content with Anthony Thomas' 66th minute winner from a freekick.