Somerset Trojans 2 Boulevard 2

Boulevard came away with a share of the points in Somerset after a goal in each half from Ian Coke twice wiped out the home team’s advantage.

The Trojans, who outscored Boulevard 5-4 in a Friendship Trophy preliminary round match last weekend with three goals in the last six minutes, looked like they were going to carry on where they left off at Police Field when striker Johnny Bean gave them the lead after just 50 seconds. However, Boulevard twice fought back to snatch a vital away point, as Coke added two more to the four goals he managed last weekend in a losing cause.

“Today’s game plan was to come up here and win and show that last week was a fluke on our part with bad defending,” said Mikre Pace, the Boulevard coach.

“Credit to Somerset, they started out of the blocks faster than us. They caught us sleeping.

“However, when we woke up, the game changed. Their kicking long balls helped them a little bit with their speed up front, but we ended up levelling it up. We had them on the ropes and if we would have put one or two chances away from inside the six-yard box, it would have been a joyful ride home.

“However, this is a good point earned because we came from behind. But I’m a little disappointed we didn’t take all three points.”

Somerset broke the deadlock with their first raid, Tahj Wade doing the work down the left and crossing for Bean, who slipped the ball through the legs of goalkeeper Daniel Adams from four yards.

A Wade-Bean combination penetrated the Boulevard defence again in the sixth minute, Wade again crossing from the left before Bean was fouled by Jerome Bailey inside the box for a Somerset penalty. However, Adams saved Justin Corday’s spot kick to his right.

Somerset captain Trevin Ming went off injured midway through the first half, to be replaced in defence by Dennis Lister. Just seven minutes later, Boulevard equalised through Coke from the penalty spot after Taj-rae Outerbridge fouled Dunn-ya Taylor.

Somerset went back in front in the 36th minute, capitalising when the Boulevard defence appeared to stop in anticipation of a call from referee Anthony Francis, only to see Somerset carry on and Bean laying on a cross to Vernon Perinchief, who drilled a low shot inside the far post.

Boulevard enjoyed a good period of possession early in the second half in search of a second equaliser.

Persistence paid off for the visiting side in the 66th minute when Coke again found the net after getting on the end of a long ball into the box by Keemo Smith from a free kick deep on the left.

Boulevard, not content with the point, made a couple of late substitutions as they searched for the winner, with Tyquan Davis replacing Ernest Trott and Teron Butterfield coming on for Jahleel Crockwell in the final minute.

“I wanted to go for the win when I made that last sub,” Pace said. “But my team made a conscious decision after knowing that we gave up the game last week in the last couple of minutes, so I applaud them for being disciplined and taking a point rather than giving it away.”

Pace had praise for his key striker Coke, who made it nine goals in just four games after a hat-trick against Dandy Town, the league champions, on October 30. “For me he’s Bermuda’s best striker by far,” Pace said without reservation.

“A lot of teams have midfielders who are scoring, but for us he’s our number one No 9 and he’s doing his job of putting the ball in the net. He’s our go-to guy for goals.”

SCORERS

Somerset

Bean 1

Perinchief 36

Boulevard

Coke 29, 66

TEAMS

Somerset Trojans (4-5-1): H Butterfield — T Outerbridge, S Brangman, T Ming (sub: D Lister, 22min), K Wilson — J Corday, Z Iris, A Trott, T Wade, V Perinchief — J Bean (sub: J Ratteray-Smith, 87). Substitutes not used: D Benjamin, R Cann, D Swan, V Wall-Brown, R Simmons. Booked: Wade, Corday.

Boulevard (4-4-2): D Adams — J Crockwell (sub: T Butterfield, 90), I Mallory, J Bailey, M Tankard — A Smith (sub: N Smith, 74), K Smith, E Trott (sub: T Davis, 88), T Walker — I Coke, D Taylor. Substitutes not used: N Anglin, Z Stovell, A Famous, T Lowe. Booked: Coke, Bailey, Mallory.

Referee: A Francis.

• Devonshire Cougars beat Devonshire Colts 2-0 at Police Field, where Charmari Burns and Lamont Brangman scored for the Dudley Eve Trophy champions in the fifth and 64th minutes.