Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer

Peter Keyes (left) of Boys' Town and Ian McAnuff of Village tussle for possession in the Wray & Nephew National Premier League game at the Elliston Wakeland Centre in Falmouth yesterday. Boys' Town won 1-0. - photo by Richard Morais

Boys' Town recovered from their midweek thumping to beat Village United 1-0 in their Wray and Nephew National Premier League (NPL) fixture at the Elliston Wakeland Centre yesterday.

Attacker Troy Dawes scored the only goal in the 46th minute.

"We turned up today. We did not turn up on Wednesday. They were not in the frame of mind to play football," Andrew Price, coach of Boys' Town said about his team's change of fortunes.

"We played a good game and defeated a plucky Village United who were just coming off a victory over the former leaders (Waterhouse) of the competition. We were expecting a tough fight but we wanted to leave here with three points," added Price.

The margin of victory could have been much wider had it not been for the brilliance of Leighton Murray in goal for Village United. Murray pulled off no fewer than three wonderful saves in the first half to deny the more purposeful visitors who looked at home at Elliston Wakeland.

Murray's first big save came in the eighth minute when he moved smartly to his left to gather a low drive from Garfield Gillespie, who should have made the Village defense pay.

Seventeen minutes later it was the turn of Michael Campbell to be denied. Campbell's torrid shot from inside the box was blocked by Murray and his defense cleared before any attackers could react.

Dawes was to be denied in the 27th minute but Murray' best effort was in the 30th minute when he pulled off a double save from George Vernal and Campbell respectively.

Village hitman

Just as Boys' Town were cutting through the Village defense, they were stifling the efforts of Village United. Current national representative Oneil Thompson, of a similar physique to the towering Newton Sterling, was given the job of marking the Village hitman. He did a good job.

While Murray was responsible for keeping Village in the game in the first half, his only error, in the second, would cost them a goal and the match. Directly form the kickoff Dawes broke down the left flank and miscued a cross, which sailed over the head of the back-pedaling Murray who was off his line.

Boys' Town continued to enjoy the better of play but Murray would not be beaten twice. Village in the meantime introduced new attackers but they were equally ineffective.

The performance left Village's Cassman Williams puzzled and disillusioned.

"I just don't know what happened, they just seemed not to be concentrating for long enough especially at home. I do not know why,Ó he uttered in frustration.

'We started off doing the right thing for the first 15 to 20 minutes, maintaining possession, getting to the flanks and crossing. We got a few chances but after a while they got carried away,' continued Williams, who added that his team never recovered from the concession of the early goal in the second half.

Village United - 0

Boys' Town - 1

Troy Dawes (46th minute)