Thompson's Eagles send out early warning
By Stephen Wright
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Dandy Town's Damon Ming (left) tussles with Somerset Eagles' goalscorer Troy Tucker at White Hill Field yesterday. Eagles won the match 3-2 to remain on top of the Premier Division.
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Photo: Glenn Tucker
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Somerset Eagles 3 Dandy Town 2
Top of the league standings after victories over two of the Premier Division's powerhouses, Somerset Eagles are enjoying their top-flight return.
Yesterday Eagles followed up their opening day triumph over defending champions Devonshire Cougars with another impressive win at White Field, this time against title contenders Dandy Town.
And although their splendid start to the campaign is sure to have raised a collective eyebrow around the Island's football fraternity, their coach Kenny Thompson is not surprised.
"We're really pleased to have made such a tremendous start to the season," Thompson said. "We have now beaten two of the division's powerhouses and we're delighted with another three points.
"I'm not surprised with the start we've made. We talked about our difficult opening matches but I was never overly worried. If we'd beaten two of the so-called easier teams then that may have given us a false sense of security.
"These two wins have given us confidence and a belief that we can compete with the top teams. We take a lot of encouragement from this victory but we're still growing and have plenty of developing to do."
Substitute Aquino Grant's proved to be the Eagles match-winner in the 81st minute, latching onto a long pass through the middle before drilling a fine shot past Mikkail Crockwell in the Hornets goal.
In truth Grant's goal came when the visitors were in the ascendancy and pushing hard for a winner themselves with burly striker Raymond Beach causing the Eagles' backline a plethora of problems.
They had fallen behind as early as the fifth minute when Shakir Smith supplied a neat finish after a mazy run and cross by the industrious Antwan Russell.
Ten minutes later and Hornets were level with Damon Ming capping off a fine move, lifting the ball over onrushing 'keeper Marcel Dill and into the net.
But Eagles' desire to fight and scrap equals their desire to play attractive attacking football and the promising Troy Tucker restored their lead with a piece of virtuoso brilliance which warranted his extremely flamboyant goal celebration.
Tucker, last week's match-winner, confidently curled in a left footed shot from around 25 yards out and then faced the White Hill faithful before slowly taking an extravagant bow.
Despite trailing at half-time, Hornets always looked capable of breaching the Eagles defence and Nakhi Wells levelled soon after the restart, slotting home from close range after Dill had blocked a shot from Beach.
Leroy Wilson's side were not prepared to settle for a draw though and had only just won three successive corner-kicks when Eagles striker Grant burst through Hornets' flat-footed defence to ensure they met the same fate as Cougars had the previous week.
Somerset Eagles: M.Dill, A.Rocker, T.Fubler, T.Davis, A.Lambert, R.Deshields (A.Grant, 70), Tamauri Tucker (D.Andrade, 55), A.Russell, D.Dowling, Troy Tucker, S.Smith
Substitutes not used: S.Dread, P.Russell, R.Wilson. J.Davis
Scorers: S.Smith, 5, Troy Tucker 35, A.Grant 81
Dandy Town: M.Crockwell, J.Peniston, T.Russell, G.Dyer, J.Stowe, S.Darrell, L.Dill (S.Brown, 57) J.Swan (L.Tucker, 78) N.Wells (K. Hurdle 81), R.Beach, D.Ming
Substitues not used: W.Lightbourne, K.Davis, D.Wellman
Scorers: D.Ming, 14, N. Wells 55
Referee: A.Mouchette
Man of the Match: T.Davis (Eagles)
