Paget Lions fight back to knock out Devonshire Colts
Devonshire Colts 1 Paget Lions 2
Paget Lions took advantage of several mistakes to come from behind and knock out First Division rivals Devonshire Colts in the FA Cup.
Colts started the brightest in the first half at Police Field on Sunday, getting into dangerous positions but failing to make the correct decision in the final third until they finally found the breakthrough their performance deserved when Keino Burch was fouled in the box. Daniel Ball struck home the resulting penalty, with Colts taking that slender advantage into the break.
Paget looked like equalising minutes into the second half when Dion Stovell played in Antwan Russell, who rounded the keeper but squandered a golden opportunity by hitting the post despite facing an empty net.
The player-coach would make amends for that terrible miss midway through the second half after Dennis Zuill picked out Stovell just inside the area and the forward was clipped by Jordan Saunders. Russell calmly slotted home the penalty to set up a tense finish.
The West End side maintained the attacking intent given to them by the impressive second-half start, inflicting waves of pressure on the Colts team, forcing them into needless mistakes.
Lions created a golden opportunity minutes after equalising when Padraic Castle slipped in Kushae Hypolite, who dragged his effort wide. Moments later, goalkeeper Lejaun Matthews directed his kick straight at Hypolite, who cut inside and fired his effort in off the post and past the Colts keeper.
Colts valiantly tried to find a route back into the game in the final minutes with their best opportunity to restore parity falling to Ball. His initial effort was blocked well by Rakeem DeShields and Jehzion Brown dragged his follow-up strike wide.
Lions coach Antwan Russell emphasised the importance of this win. “We came for victory,” Russell said. “We didn’t need to make it pretty, but we are through to the next round.
“We are more than pleased with how we played. The victory is all that matters, though.”
Scorers
Devonshire Colts: Ball 25 pen
Paget Lions: Russell 67 pen, Hypolite 71
Devonshire Colts (4-2-3-1): L Matthews 5 – J Paynter 6, J Dublin 6, J Saunders 5 (sub: J Francis, 81min), D Davis 5 – S Thomas 5 (sub: J Brown, 73), T Eve 6 (sub: K Lewis, 45 5) – T Axelsen 5 (sub: K Bailey, 73), A Wolffe 5 (sub: Z Wolffe-Simpson, 88), D Ball 6 – K Burch 5. Substitutes not used: E Weldon, I Lee. Booked: A Wolffe.
Paget Lions (4-2-3-1): C Smith 5 – S Smith 5, M Burch 5, R DeShields 6, Koshun Durrant 6 (sub: R Richardson, 84) – P Castle 5 (sub: Kenneth Durrant, 78), D Zuill 6 (sub: K Simons, 67 5) – M Wade 5 (sub: A Russell, 46 6), Z Weller 6, K Hypolite 7 – W Shakir 5 (sub: D Stovell, 46 5). Substitutes not used: W Sinclair, A Warren. Booked: Castle
Referee: K Jennings
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