North Village 3 Paget 0

North Village closed in on Premier Division leaders PHC with an important win over Paget Lions at Bernard Park on Saturday.

Two goals from Daion Swan-DeSilva and a strike from Jai Pitt-Bean was enough for North Village to close the gap on PHC to just one point after they drew 0-0 with Hamilton Parish and Village coach Kenny Thompson was pleased with the result if not the performance.

“We lacked quality in the first half," Thompson said.

“I spoke to the team at half-time and told them to be patient but step it up a bit, and they did so."

The home side created the more clear-cut opportunities in an otherwise scrappy first half, with Paget set up largely to frustrate by shutting down the dangerous passing lanes.

That gameplan worked early in large part because of the solid communication between the centre-back partnership of Rakeem Deshields and Julian Carpenter, who helped stifle service to D’Andre Wainwright.

Village's best chance came when Jai Bean played a lovely one-two with Liam Evans, who was forward from a holding midfield position, before his low effort was beautifully stopped by goalkeeper Omari Deshields.

A few minutes later Village won a penalty after Jalen Harvey was brought down by Kyjah Simons after being played through by Wainwright inside the area. Harvey dusted himself off to take the resulting spot-kick, but Deshields was equal to it, diving to his right to tip the low drive around the far post.

Thoompson’s words at half time had an almost immediate effect as in the 48th minute Wainwright laid off for Tre Ming to spread the play to Tariq Bean. He cut back nicely for Jai Pitt-Bean to fire through several bodies and past Deshields.

Paget changed their approach after conceding to play through midfield instead of going more direct to striker Omari Tucker, whose performance was largely ineffective owing to solid defending from Khimo Harrison and Tarreko Wilson.

The pace of Kamali Davis forced Village back and Paget had a good 20-minute spell where they missed at least four chances, most notably when substitute Kushae Hypolite hit the post from a powerful low drive.

Paget head coach Antwan Russell was sent off on 71 minutes for delaying the restart after making a substitution, and Village then began to show their prowess as the game opened up.

Daion Swan-Desilva, who had returned just a couple of days earlier from St Kitts & Nevis, where he formed part of the Bermuda under-20 squad, gave the home side a much-needed two-goal cushion ten minutes from time after Paget lost the ball in the centre circle, with Adio Deshield-Tankard playing him through to finish low past Deshields.

Just a few minutes later, Jai Bean squared for Swan-Desilva to tap home his second of the game and clinch victory for Village, who face Devonshire Cougars in the FA Challenge Cup semi-finals on Wednesday.

Village play PHC in what could amount to a Premier Division decider in two weeks and Thompson remains confident in his side.

“We have to take each game on its own merit," he said. "However, if we stay together, we can win the league."

SCORERS

North Village: Pitt-Bean 48; Swan-Desilva 80, 82

TEAMS

North Village (4-1-4-1): D Bell 6 – T Williams 6, K Harrison 7, T Wilson 6, J Harvey 6 – L Evans 7 (sub: T Tucker, 73min) – K Knights 6 (sub: J Outerbridge, 82), T Ming 6 (sub: D Swan-Desilva, 74), T Bean 6 (sub: L Steede, 81), J Pitt-Bean 6 – D Wainwright 6 (sub: A Deshield-Tankard, 74). Subs not used: V Perinchief. Booked: Knights, Thompson (coach).

Paget Lions (4-2-3-1): O Deshields 7 – D Frost 7 (sub: P Castle, 58 5), J Carpenter 6, R Deshields 6, K Simons 5 (sub: B DeGrilla, 86) – D Joell 6 (sub: M Wade, 74), S Lambert 6 – K Davis 6, D Hart 5, S Smith 5 – O Tucker 5 (sub: K Hypolite, 58 6). Booked: Lambert, Smith. Sent off: A Russell (coach).

Referee: S Noshinravani (Canada)