North Village 2 Devonshire Cougars 1

North Village re-established themselves at the head of the Premier Division with a 2-1 victory over previous leaders Devonshire Cougars on Saturday.

Midfielder Troy Tucker was chief in extending Rams’ winning streak against their cross-town rivals to four games in all competitions, the latest success a welcome boost after a disappointing end to last year.

“We just look to respect every opponent and to win against Cougars is not very easy,” said Village coach Kenny Thompson at the end of the match.

“We’re in a good space at the moment and I think the dip in December perhaps humbled us in a way. Up until the beginning of December we were unbeaten in the league, with a 100 percent record, but we lost the league lead after a loss to Phc and then they knocked us out of the Friendship at the semi-final stage.

“Sometimes you can look back on these times as good medicine, even as it doesn’t taste so good.”

From the opening whistle North Village pressed forward and their first salvo reaped early reward as Tucker started and finished a move up the middle with just two minutes having passed.

Collecting in space near the top of Cougars’ penalty area, Tucker worked a neat one-two with Jaizel Smith-DeShields, who provided a perfectly weighted return pass back for Tucker, who had lost his marker and moved to an advanced position closer to goal.

The space allowed Tucker to control unpressured, before unleashing a firm shot that gave goalkeeper Jerez Eve little chance.

Continuing high pressure in the eighth minute gave D’Andre Wainwright a legitimate crack at goal against a compromised defence, but the striker’s final touch was flawed, his effort sailing over.

At the other end, Domico Coddington forced a diving save out of Detre Bell with a snap shot from 20 yards.

Much of the rest of the first half featured a midfield battle, with Village most in possession and appearing as if they would take the goal lead into the break, but that was not part of Coddington’s script.

He robbed last defender Liam Evans on the halfway line, launching a break that ended with Coddington sliding the ball past Bell.

Cougars came more into the match after the break with Simeon Burrows taking charge in midfield and asking questions of Bell and his defence that the goalkeeper answered when denying Burrows in the 59th minute.

Tempers flared in the tense atmosphere, with referee Tracy Adams having to separate and caution members of both teams on two occasions.

Tucker settled the game in the 82nd minute, this time the beneficiary of the efforts of wing-back Jalen Harvey, who burst forward and presented a finely threaded through-ball for Tucker to smash home, this time with his left foot.

“I’m happy to get two goals that helped the team,” said Tucker afterwards. “We had been working on getting the midfield in more attacking positions.

“It was important for us to get the two goals and important for us to get the win.

“We’ve had a shaky last two weeks, losing to PHC twice, so we’re looking to get better focused as we go through the second half.

SCORERS

North Village: Tucker 2, 82

Devonshire Cougars: Coddington 45

TEAMS

North Village (4-4-1-1): D Bell 6 - K Knights 6, J Harvey 6, T Fray 6, L Evans 6 -- T Williams 6, K Harrison 6 (sub: T Ming, 85min), T Tucker 8 (sub: L Steede, 85) C Easton (sub: A Dill, 46 6) -- J Smith-DeShields 7 (sub: D Swan-DeSilva, 70) -- D Wainwright 6 (sub: P Smith 65 6). Substitutes not used: T Bell. Booked: T Bell.

Devonshire Cougars: (4-4-1-1) J Eve -- Z White, J Thomas 6, J Fox 6, M Joell 6 -- J Brimmer 6, Q Maynard 6, S Burrows 6 (sub: L Simmons, 58 6) D Simmons 5 (sub: L Darrell 53, 6) -- E Darrell 6 -- D Coddington 7. Substitutes not used: C Albouy, C Brangman. Booked: Brimmer, Coddington, Maynard.

Referee: T Adams.