Boulevard 1 Robin Hood 0

Robin Hood’s title-winning party was slightly spoilt after Boulevard snatched a late victory to grab the final spot in next season’s Dudley Eve Trophy yesterday.

Hood already had one hand on the league title before kick-off thanks to their vastly superior goal difference over second-placed PHC Zebras.

In truth Hood should have won the title in style but were thwarted on several occasions by Antione Famous, Boulevard’s makeshift goalkeeper, before substitute midfielder Jahzardae Samuels thumped home an 87th-minute winner. Despite securing a maiden title for the club, Kyle Lightbourne, the Hood coach, admitted he was disappointed his side were unable to secure their fourteenth league win of the season.

“I’m disappointed that we didn’t win today and we had enough chances,” Lightbourne said. “Their goalkeeper made some outstanding saves and I could see the game possibly going like that — that’s just the way football goes. We didn’t put our chances away.”

Famous reeled off superb saves to twice deny midfielder Donte Brangman and winger Lejuan Simmons from close range in the second half as Hood pressed for a winner.

Hood also twice struck the woodwork, with Antwan Russell sending a free kick against the crossbar and Simmons also hitting the frame of the goal from just yards out after being picked out by Brangman on the left.

The chances kept on coming for Hood as Russell lifted a shot narrowly over Famous’s bar from 25 yards and Brangman squandering a glorious chance after side-footing wide from Simmons’s centre.

A place in next season’s Dudley Eve Trophy seemed unlikely at the start of the afternoon for Boulevard, with the home side trailing sixth-place Dandy Town by point. But with Town suffering a 5-0 defeat away to PHC Zebras, Boulevard steamed in to seal the final spot after Samuels smashed past goalkeeper Jason Simons after a right-wing cross by Takeyhi Walker.

Despite Hood’s slew of scoring opportunities — particularly in the second half — it was Boulevard who should have taken the lead as early as the first minute with the normally prolific Ian Coke squandering an opening.

Coke continued to cause Hood’s watertight defence problems and nearly got on the end of Jason Symonds’s low cross from the right midway through the second half.

It was the unlikely Samuels who had the final say, however, ensuring both sides had plenty to celebrate at the final whistle.

SCORER

Boulevard

Samuels 87

TEAMS

Boulevard (4-4-2): A Famous — T Butterfield, I Mallory, J Bailey, Z Stovell — D Taylor (sub: J Samuels, 65min), E Trott, N Smith, Z Stovell, J Symonds — T Walker, I Coke. Substitutes not used: S Worrell.

Robin Hood (4-3-3): J Simons — E Outerbridge, C Fosker, D Cox, S Smith — A Russell, C Caisey, C Ryan — L Simmons, S Burchall (sub: M Thomas, 68, J Pereira, 80), D Brangman. Substitutes not used: M Johnson. Booked: Outerbridge.

Referee: G Swainson.