Somerset Trojans 2 North Village 0

Somerset Trojans maintained their unbeaten home record in the league this season after toppling leaders North Village in the Premier Division yesterday.

Goals from Justin Corday and substitute Jonathan Bean handed the home side victory to throw the title race wide open as Village dropped to third.

Corday, the Trojans midfielder, gave his side a twelfth-minute lead with a close-range header.

Forward Tahj Wade almost doubled his side’s lead on the half-hour mark with a one-on-one opportunity but was denied by the feet of Tahj Bell, the Village goalkeeper. Village were almost punished for sloppy defending when Corday intercepted a wayward pass but hurried his effort and failed to hit the target.

After the break midfielder Jonathan Briers registered Village’s first effort at goal, bursting through the middle before firing straight at Shaquille Bean, the Trojans goalkeeper,

Moments later, Village found themselves two goals down after a Corday free kick found Jonathan Bean whose glancing header gave Bell no chance in the 55th minute.

The mercurial striker celebrated wildly before dropping to the ground and performing a handful of press-ups much to the delight of the home faithful gathered behind the goal.

Bean was substituted about ten minutes later after complaining of dizziness after a knock to the head. The visiting side improved after the introduction of Ralph Bean, their former player-coach, with fellow substitute Nacori Smith missing a glorious chance after firing wide.

Village continued to threaten with Trojan midfielder Alton Trott almost volleying into his own net in spectacular fashion from a Devrae Tankard cross before defender Terryn Fray forced a decent save from Bean.

Winger Smith missed his second good chance of the half after wriggling his way through on goal but was unable to direct his effort past the in-form Bean.

Trevin Ming, the Trojans defender, believes his team are turning Somerset Cricket Club into a “fortress” and are hoping for a top-four finish.

“The main thing is we haven’t lost at home in the league and we want to maintain that record and make [Somerset Cricket Club] a fortress,” Ming said.

SCORERS

Somerset Trojans

Corday 12, Bean 55

Teams

Somerset Trojans (3-4-3): S Bean — T Ming, J Ratteray-Smith, T Outerbridge — D Swan, A Trott, J Corday — L Burgess (sub: J Bean, 23), T Wade, S Brangman, A Seaman (sub: M Jones, 71). Substitutes not used: D Benjamin, R Cann, C Durham, A Lambert, D Lister, D Woods. Booked: Seaman, Ratteray-Smith.

North Village (4-3-3): T Bell — K Knights, J Harvey, T Fray, D Tankard — P Parsons, J Briers, T Watson — D Daniels (sub: R Bean, 56), K Bean, L Dill (sub: N Smith, 70). Substitutes not used: K Dill, T Wilson, R Sampson. Booked: Knights, R Bean.

Referee: M Wyer.