Dandy Town 1 North Village 3

North Village got their Premier Division campaign off to a swift and successful start, with a dominant performance against a slow-footed Dandy Town side that threatened to embarrass more than the final scoreline.

Two first-half goals and one in the second served to pour cold water on the Hornets’ opener at Goose Gosling Field, allowing Rams to join Devonshire Cougars, Paget and defending champions PHC on three points at the head of the league standings.

Village grabbed the lead in the sixteenth minute from the penalty spot after D’Andre Wainwright was brought down by goalkeeper Azir Harvey as he charged on goal.

The big striker rose from the deck to send Harvey the wrong way while planting his kick to the right side of goal.

Town almost equalised in the most spectacular of manners when Tomiko Goater unloaded a searing drive from all of 35 yards, which crashed against the top left area of framework, with Village goalkeeper Detre Bell rendered a spectator.

Village centre back Jalen Harvey responded with a thunderous low drive from the edge of the box that Harvey barely managed to push around the post for a corner.

Yet there was little he could do eleven minutes later when Adio DeShields-Tankard slipped between three defenders deep inside the box and was able to get on the end of an innocuous ball into the middle from Tahmi Williams, glancing home a right-footed shot.

Secure behind a two-goal advantage Village began the second half in more defensive posture than they finished the first, while Town injected two substitutes in the forms of Jomei Bean-Lindo and Azendae Furbert, but while Bean-Lindo supplied great energy and voice, there was little tangible reward.

Village went further ahead in the 79th minute, taking advantage of Town’s overattacking, as Jaizel Smith-DeShields seized the initiative on a counter-attack to slot home a third for the visitors.

Goater crashed home a rebound off a Damon Ming blast two minutes from time.

“It was a really enjoyable performance,” said Village coach Kenny Thompson after the final whistle.

“The players looked like they enjoyed it and we were enjoying most of the football on the side and that’s what we want.

“We want to be able to play with passion, with enjoyment, to play with intelligence, but overall I’m really pleased.

“I’m disappointed not to have gotten the shutout because I think the overall performance deserved a little bit more.”

SCORERS

Dandy Town: Goater 88

North Village: Wainwright 16, DeShields-Tankard 39, Smith-DeShields 79

TEAMS

Dandy Town (3-5-2): A Harvey 5 — E Moore 5, D Leverock 5, J Bailey 5 — J Chapman 5 (sub: J Samuels, 68min 5), J Richardson 5 (sub: A Furbert, 46 5), T Goater 6, K Sharrieff 5 (sub: J Bean-Lindo, 46 5), C Robinson 5 (sub: D Ming, 57 5) — E Outerbridge 5, N Spence 5. Substitutes not used: D Simons, M Isaac, K Brangman, Q Watson. Booked: Bean-Lindo, Chapman.

North Village (3-1-4-2): D Bell 6 — A Sampson 7, T Wilson 6, J Harvey 7 — L Evans 6 — T Williams 6, K Harrison 6, A DeShields 7 (sub: P Smith, 85), D Swan-DeSilva 6 — J Outerbridge 7, D Wainwright 7 (sub: J Smith DeShields, 65 6). Substitutes not used: I Simmons, T Bean, K Knights. Booked: Outerbridge.

Referee: T Simons.