Boulevard 2 Dandy Town 3

Dandy Town came from two goals down to edge relegation-threatened Boulevard in a thrilling Premier Division contest at Goose Gosling Field on Sunday night.

Boulevard seized early control courtesy of defender Anthony Williams-Smith and midfielder Jahzardae Samuels but Town responded with midfielder Nizigh Spence's two goals, including the winner seven minutes from time, added to one from striker Tomiko Goater.

After all was said and done on the pitch, Town coach and technical director Aaron Denkins hailed his team’s tremendous character to overcome the deficit.

“Firstly credit to Boulevard. Being a cross-town rival they always bring their grit and tenacity and every time we have played it has been a great football match so credit to them,” he said.

“For us it’s about giving the best account of ourselves for the rest of the season. We have had a couple of youngsters come into the team so it’s just about showing character and doing the best we can to finish the best we can finish.”

Denkins said he never doubted his team’s ability to bounce back after falling in arrears.

“We preach confidence to the players and as a coaching staff we always have confidence that we can pull through,” he said. “We always have to show that confidence to the players.”

Town leapfrogged Hamilton Parish into fifth in the standings while Boulevard remain second from bottom ahead of already relegated Robin Hood with three rmatches remaining in the season.

Blazers went straight for Town’s jugular and capitalised when central defender Williams-Smith stabbed home Takeyhi Walker’s free-kick after a goalmouth scramble.

Town finally began to get a foothold in the match and threatened with Dante Scraders firing over the bar after exchanging passes with fellow midfielder Tajahri Rogers just outside of the box.

Both teams continued to create space in the attacking third only to be let down by a poor final pass as the game opened up.

Boulevard, who tormented Town with the long ball on the counter-attack, wasted a golden opportunity when forward Kamali Davis got behind the defence and cut the ball back into the middle where Samuels just failed to connect in front of goal, but shortly after they doubled the lead when Samuels latched ont o Davis’s defence-splitting pass to beat goalkeeper Treadwell Gibbons Jr with a low drive into the bottom corner.

Town pressed on and finally pulled one back when Spence headed home Judah Chapman’s long diagonal cross at the back post and that goal clearly inspired the away side and they came to within inches of equalising just before the interval when Rogers poked just wide from a cross by defender Jomei Lindo-Bean.

Boulevard created the first chance of the second half with midfielder Niko Smith heading Walker’s free-kick over at the back post while Davis was unable to capitalise after getting in behind the defence on a counter-attack.

Those missed opportunities proved costly as Goater grabbed the equaliser near the hour mark from close range after being picked out by substitute Cecoy Robinson.

Gibbons was then equal to the task at the other end as he parried substitute Clay Darrell’s firm blast from the edge of the area as Boulevard sought to regain the lead.

Town dominated coming down the home stretch and eventually broke through again when Spence controlled Goater’s pass into the box before slotting past Boulevard goalkeeper Azir Harvey to complete the comeback.

SCORERS

Boulevard: Williams-Smith, 17; Samuels 34

Dandy Town: Spence 39, 83; Goater 57

TEAMS

Boulevard (4-1-4-1): A Harvey 6 - A Johnston 6, A Williams- Smith 6, R Trott 6, O Wilson 6 - N Smith 6 - T Walker 7, J Samuels 7, K Davis 6, S Robinson 5 - K Easton 7 (sub: C Darrell, 63min 5). Substitutes not used: Z Stovell, T Taylor

Dandy Town (4-1-4-1): T Gibbons 6 - J Wilson - Butterfield 6, J Lindo-Bean 6, S Darrell 7, M Parsons 5 - N Spence 8 - S Tatem 6 (sub: C Robinson, 49 6) , D Scraders 6, J Chapman 6, T Rogers 6 - T Goater 7. Booked: Tatem. Substitutes not used: Z Hunt, D Johnson, T Smith

Referee: K Johnston (USA).