Devonshire Cougars 5 Robin Hood 0

Defending champions Devonshire Cougars remained unbeaten with a comprehensive win over Robin Hood to top group C in the Dudley Eve Trophy at Devonshire Rec last night.

With inspirational leader and player/coach Dante Leverock not in action, Bermuda defender Liam Evans and veteran goalkeeper Timmy Figureido were the only senior players in a determined but inexperienced Robin Hood .

So it was no surprise that Cougars took control of this match from the outset and Chekai Caisey found room to breach Figureido’s net as early as the fifth minute with Elisha Darrell faking a low cross from the right flank for Zari Simmons to tap in at the back post to double the lead in the eighteenth minute.

During the build-up to the goal, Hood centre-half, Z’Chai Jennings-Barnett received a serious leg injury with the game held up for at least ten minutes until an ambulance attended to take him to hospital.

With this, Hood were forced to make a substitute from an already depleted bench, but it would be replacement Najee Edwards who almost scored just before the half but Cougars goalkeeper Casey Hardtman blocked his goalbound effort.

Hood goalkeeper Figureido was forced to make a double save shortly after the break when Cougars won possession just at the edge of the box with the well-positioned goalkeepr saving a straight shot by Darrell shot before diving to his right to stop a drilled shot from Dimitre Daniels.

A game Hood side never gave up with young Ande Simons making some hard but clean tackles to try to keep his team in the game and Ereico Outerbridge should have pulled one back when put through on goal but his hurried shot sliced off his foot and went wide.

That miss proved costly as Cougars scored three goals in the space of three minutes. A Chris Caisey free-kick was allowed to bounce to the back post where captain Zeko White bundled the ball into the net. Then, a high ball to the near post caught the Hood defence watching as Darrell side-footed in before Chris Caisey completed the scoring with a firm drive which Figureido could only watch.

Hood were outplayed but goalkeeper Figureido pulled out all the stops to keep the scoreline respectable with his positioning and anticipation preventing Cougars’ tally from being even higher.

After this loss, Hood will head into a playoff with Boulevard Blazers on Saturday night, Hurricane Fiona permitting, to try to claim one of the two remaining quarter-final spots.

“I thought we made the game difficult despite the win”, said humble Cougars coach Kwame Steede. “We must process a little better especially when dominating the play and dealing with the opposition. It gives us something to work on as we go into the next round.”

SCORERS

Chekai Caisey 5, Z Simmons 18, Z White 79, C Albouy 80, Chris Caisey 81

TEAMS

Devonshire Cougars (4-2-3-1): C Hardtman 6 - T Tucker 5, Z White 6, Chris Caisey 6, J Thomas 5 - D Daniels 5 (sub: K Minors, 65min 5), Z Simmons 6 - Che’kai Caisey 7, J Brimmer 6, J Fox 5 (sub: C Albuoy, 18 6) - E Darrell 7 (sub: N Simmons, 79). Substitutes not used: K Darrell. Booked: D Daniels.

Robin Hood (4-2-3-1): T Figureido 8 - T Lowe 5 (sub: N Massa, 65min 6), M Hollis 6, B Tyson-Gooden 6, N Outerbridge 6 - L Evans 7, Z Jennings-Barnett 5 (sub: N Edwards, 18 6) -A Simons 7, T Goater 6, K Naylor 5.

Referee: A Majors