Devosnshire 0 Paget Lions 0

Devonshire Cougars and Paget Lions played to a scoreless draw yesterday at Devonshire Recreation Club as neither team could capitalise on some late opportunities.

Paget came into the match off with a victory and a draw in their previous two games, which had them sitting one point behind the home side in seventh place.

Lions coach Robert Lee was happy to see his team continue with that momentum.

“We would have liked to take all three points today, but away from home we’re happy to walk away with a point,” Lee said.

“It’s still early in the season, and we still have a lot to work on, but I think we are starting to gel and I’m happy with the way the team is progressing.”

Both teams struggled to find a rhythm in the first half and aside from a penalty appeal in the tenth minute for a challenge on Paget forward Dion Stovell, there was very little action at either end until just before the half. Zari Simmons would bring Jason Smith into action for the first time in the match, forcing the goalkeeper to dive low to his right to save his effort from the edge of the box.

Moses Steede would then go just wide of the post with his attempt to redirect a low cross from the left. Both teams were a lot more positive in their approach in the second half and were able to carve out a few opportunities.

Steede had an effort from 35 yards parried over the bar by Smith in the 65th minute, and Jomeko Mallory should have done better with his back-post header from the resulting corner, after just being introduced to the game minutes prior.

At the other end, Akele Bean had an opportunity to make his mark on the game after combining with strike partner Stovell.

Twice he was on the end of square passes just inside the area.

However, his first effort was driven right at goalkeeper Kioshi Trott, and his second effort went harmlessly over the bar.

The missed chances would almost come back to haunt Paget as they would endure two scares late in the match. First when Mallory drove in a cross from the right that wrong-footed the Paget defence and was eventually scrambled away.

Then Steede came close to providing the winner with the last kick of the game. The midfielder could only watch as his free kick from just outside the box grazed the top of the cross bar as referee Lionel Cann blew the full-time whistle.

TEAMS

Devonshire Cougars (4-3-3): K Trott — Zion Simmons, Zico White, Zekiro White, C Matthews — C Mabury, Zari Simmons (sub: J Seymour, 90min), M Steede, L Tota — M Steede (sub: S Pearmen, 75), D Daniels (sub: J Mallory, 62). Substitutes not used: N Carmichael, D Simmons, O Bascombe, W Sinclair. Booked: Zeko White, Trott.

Paget Lions: (4-4-2): J Smith — K Hill-Tuzo, M Burch, R Richardson, S Richardson (sub: N Carpenter 80) — D Hart, V Lopes, T Welch, J Carpenter — D Stovell, A Bean. Substitutes Not Used: T Sanders, D Smith, C Smith, K Smith. Booked: Welsh, Richardson.

Referee: L Cann.