Robin Hood 0 North Village 3

Shayne Hollis scored twice and had an assist as North Village clinched group A with an impressive victory over Robin Hood in the Dudley Eve Trophy at Police Field yesterday.

Hollis broke the deadlock with a scuffed volley early in the second half and then went from scorer to provider after passing to Keishen Bean, who drilled into the roof of the net from just outside of the box.

Bean then returned the favour, passing to Hollis who finished with aplomb to complete the three-goal second-half blitz.

“I was very pleased with our players today,” Randy Spence, the Village assistant coach, said. “They kept their shape and remained disciplined and got the job done.”

Village gradually grew into the game and after seizing control of midfield after the interval pulled out of sight.

“We had to tighten up in the middle and win some of those challenges,” Spence added. “Once we matched them and built some confidence, our players up front were able to express themselves.”

Village will now face group B runners-up and cup holders Devonshire Cougars in the semi-finals.

“It’s never an easy game against Cougars,” Spence said. “It’s all about who comes prepared on the day and willing to put in the work.”

Hood saw plenty of the ball and created chances, especially during the opening stanza which they dominated possession as Village sat deep and struggled to string passes together.

But their inability to find the net came back to haunt them after Village hit their straps after the break.

“We didn’t take our chances we had and we need to get at least one goal on the board because the longer you let a team in the game the more they stay in it,” John Barry Nusum, the Hood coach, said. “All Village needed was one chance and when they got it they knocked it in and you could tell our whole shape started to change and we kind of lost space because we were bossing the first half.”

Hood lost some of their sting in midfield after Colin Ryan had to leave during the half-time interval because of work commitments. “My main midfielder had to leave due to work commitments and that changed a lot of what we had to do,” Nusum added. “When Colin left that opened us up a little bit.”

Hood will meet group B winners PHC Zebras in the semi-finals.

“To be honest we want to play the best teams in a tournament because at some point you are going to if you want to win the cup,” Nusum said.

“PHC beat us in the Charity Cup so this is something that these guys have a chip on their shoulder when they play and so it’s not a bad thing.”

Hood held a slight edge in the first half but were unable to break down a Village defence well-marshalled by Jason Davis who is holding his own in his new role as central defender.

Jaylon Bather went closest for Hood with a 30-yard effort that curled wide of the far post while Mazhye Burchall brought off a reflex save from Tahj Bell, the Village goalkeeper, at the near post just before the half.

Village were a completely different bunch after the break, with their midfielders winning tackles and keeping the supply lines open and the pace and wizardry of Hollis and Bean wreaking havoc on Hood’s back four.

After a period of sustained pressure, Hollis put Village ahead when he sliced Bean’s pass in the box into goalkeeper Jason Simons’s far top corner.

The two players linked up again to create Village’s second, Hollis picking out Bean who beat Simons with a thunderous effort from outside of the area.

Hollis then rounded off the scoring with a brilliant solo run, wriggling his way through the Hood defence inside of the area before firing in the roof of the net from a tight angle.

SCORERS

North Village

Hollis 53, 90 Bean 79

TEAMS

Robin Hood (4-5-1): J Simons — J Bather, D Leverock, D Andrade (sub: J Titterton, 85 min), E Outerbridge — C Ryan (sub: A Russell, 46), L Symonds (sub: Z Burgess, 63), C Caisey, M Burchall, S Smith — L Simmons. Substitutes not used: J Pereira, N Peskett. Booked: Caisey

North Village (4-5-1): T Bell — J Thomas, J Davis, T Williams, K Knights (sub: P Durham, 75) — J Briers, T Watson (sub: P Smith, 60), D Daniels, K Bean, S Hollis — L Dill (sub: M Thomas, 60). Substitutes not used: A Johnston, C Caisey, T Durham

Referee: M Dwyer