X-Roads 0 Devonshire Cougars 2

Devonshire Cougars notched up their third win in a row to remain in the title race with a comfortable 2-0 victory over X-Road Warriors at St. David’s yesterday.

Two goals in the first half from Che’Kai Caisey and Domico Coddington were sufficient to leave Cougars just a point behind leaders PHC with three matches to play, but coach Kwame Steede was far from satisfied with the performance.

“I thought we didn’t play to our standard today,” Steede said. “Yes, we got the victory but it was a below-par performance. The game got easy and we just didn’t do the right things at the right moment but the three points keep us in the title chase.

It was perhaps no surprise this game would turn into a low-scoring affair with prolific goalscorers Elisha Darrell and Donovan Thompson missing from the starting line-up for Cougars and X-Roads respectively.

With the title countdown on, Cougars started on the front foot using a short passing game to penetrate and they opened the scoring after a threatening move down the left flank. Jayori Fox held off his marker to send in a low cross for Che’Kai Caisey to run on to and beat X-Roads goalkeeper Jamin Furbert at the near post despite his diving effort.

Midway through the half, former Cougars player Chae Brangman dispossessed Jazario Brimmer before slipping a pass to Amir Wilson but he shot weakly at Cougars’ goalkeeper Tahj Bell.

X-Roads had chances to equalize but Tymon Daniels and Brangman headed over from crosses when well positioned and they were made to pay when Domico Coddington doubled Cougars’ lead when his tame shot from a Demitri Daniel’s cross slipped under the body of Furbert.

Thompson was introduced midway through the second half and he invigorated the X-Roads attack with his forceful running and determination. The striker thought he had scored late in the match when he outpaced Bell to a through ball only for the goal-bound shot to be cleared of the line by a recovering defender.

To add to the loss of Darrell, Cougars now have another injury woe as midfield dynamo Zari Simmons came out of a 50-50 tackle the worse and was limping badly towards the end of the game. He must now be a doubt for the remainder of the season.

SCORERS

Devonshire Cougars: C Caisey 11, D Coddington 39

TEAMS

X-Road Warriors (4-2-3-1): J Furbert 6 – N Smith 5, L Simmons 6, T Daniels 6, D Teleman 5 --- D Woolridge 5, A Daniels 7 (sub: D Simons, 74min) --- J Lottimore 5 (sub: T Perinchief, 79), C Brangman 7, K Brangman 5 --- A Wilson 5 (sub: D Thompson, 74). Substitutes not used: Z McCarter.

Devonshire Cougars (4-2-3-1): T Bell 6 --- T Tucker 5 (sub: J Furbert-Wade, 65 5), Z White 6, Z Simmons 6, J Thomas 6 --- Chris Caisey 6, J Brimmer 6 (sub: J Wade, 79) --- D Daniels 7, Che Kai Caisey 7 (sub: L Millett, 79), J Fox 6 (sub: L Simmons, 65 6) ---D Coddington 7 (sub: N Simmons, 79). Substitutes not used: K Steede.

Referee: M Wyer