Paget Lions 1 Devonshire Cougars 4

Elisha Darrell has warned that Devonshire Cougars are starting to hit top form after thrashing Paget Lions at Somerset Cricket Club last night.

Darrell broke the deadlock in the first half with further goals after the interval from Nyeem Simmons and substitutes Jayori Fox and Lejuan Simmons sealing all three points. Captain Diaje Hart grabbed Paget’s consolation.

The result leaves Cougars just three points adrift of leaders North Village, with Darrell adamant his side will do all they can to continue applying pressure on the pace-setters.

“I feel like as a team we are definitely starting to find some form,” said the forward, who was also on target in Cougars’ 6-2 rout of Somerset Trojans on Sunday.

“We had a number of new signings at the beginning of the season and so it took a little while to learn to play with each other, but that chemistry is starting to form now.

“This leaves us right behind Village. Every point counts and so we will just do what we can to keep the pressure on. There is pressure on us to keep chasing, but also on them not to slip up.”

Somewhat against the run of the play, Cougars broke the deadlock in the 21st minute as a neat interchange between Darrell and Trey Tucker on the right-hand side, saw the former released into the area before smartly clipping a finish over the onrushing Troy Hall.

The forward should have doubled his and Cougars’ tally just four minutes later but somehow failed to finish Domico Coddington’s drilled ball across the goalmouth from the left, at the back post.

He should have been made to pay for the miss in the 37th minute as Senoj Mitchell seized on a loose and drove into the area, but could only lash his right-foot effort wildly over.

Immediately after the interval Cougars doubled the advantage with Darrell this time turning provider. Beating the offside trap to race onto a pass down the right channel, he cut the ball back for Nyeem Simmons to sweep home with a low first-time effort.

In search of a route back into the match, Paget continued to carve out chances without finding the finishing touch as Kamali Davis fired over from the edge of the area, while substitute Aquino Grant beat goalkeeper Darrell to a bouncing ball inside the area, only to see his effort roll agonisingly past the post.

Antwan Russell’s side were finally rewarded for their perseverance with seven minutes remaining, reducing the deficit as Smith played in captain Hart, who kept his composure to calmly slot the ball past Darrell.

With two minutes remaining Paget could and arguably should have equalised as Hart this time found Smith on the left side of the area, but the winger could only rifle his powerful effort over the bar.

Having survived a late fightback Cougars finally put the result beyond doubt in additional time with two almost identical goals.

Just as with the second goal, the third came as a result of an abundance of space in behind the Paget defence on the right wing as Coddington released Lejuan Simmons, who skipped past a defender before teeing up Fox to slot past Hall.

With the final whistle looming and Paget heads dropped, Cougars added the fourth as Coddington this time found space on the right to cut back for Simmons to sweep in past a helpless Hall and wrap up victory.

SCORERS

Paget Lions: Hart 83

Devonshire Cougars: Darrell 21, N Simmons 46, Fox 90, L Simmons 90+3

TEAMS

Paget Lions (4-4-1-1): T Hall 6 - P Castle 6 (sub: Z Weller 52min 6), K Simions 6, D Joell 6 (sub: K Durrant 77), S Smith 7 - R DeShields 6, D Hart 7, D Swann 6 (sub: A Grant 52 6), J Carpenter 6 - K Davis 7 (sub: K Hypolite 77) - S Mitchell 6. Substitutes not used: O Tucker, O DeShields, A Russell.

Devonshire Cougars (4-3-3): K Darrell 7 - T Tucker 7, Z White 7, M Joell 6 (sub: L Millett 77), J Thomas 6 - Simeon Burrows 7, D Daniels 7, Zari Simmons 6 (sub: J Brimmer 51 6), D Coddington 8, E Darrell 8 (sub: J Fox 60 7), N Simmons 7 (sub: L Simmons 60 7). Substitutes not used: S Jones, C Brangman, Zion Simmons. Booked: Tucker

Referee: A Francis