Somerset Trojans 2

Boulevard Blazers 2

Fast-improving Boulevard earned a precious point after holding Somerset Trojans, the Premier Division champions, to a draw at Somerset Cricket Club yesterday.

The visiting side raised eyebrows after taking an early lead through a neat finish from Tiae Vince Douglas, but fell behind as Trojans hit back twice in quick succession via Trevin Ming, the captain, and Jonathan Bean.

Boulevard squandered an opportunity to equalise when Shaquille Bean, the Trojans goalkeeper, saved Ian Coke’s penalty after a defender handled in the box.

Niko Smith then spared Coke’s blushes after levelling just before half-time to earn the visiting side a share of the spoils.

Trojans beat Boulevard 3-1 in the opening day of the league season. But any thoughts Kieshon Smith’s charges had of a repeat performance went out the window when Douglas broke the deadlock in the seventh minute with a clinical finish. The Boulevard forward gained possession wide on the left, dribbled a few yards and beat Bean from a tight angle.

Douglas’s strike arrived after Leo Burgess, the Trojans forward, squandered a breakaway after Boulevard lost possession on the edge of their own box.

The goal that Trojans’ dominance warranted arrived when the unmarked Ming rose at the back post to head in Justin Corday’s free kick after Conneko Trott, the Boulevard defender, was booked for a foul on Bean.

Ming’s well-taken goal turned the game on its head and before Trojans’ celebrations had subsided Daniel Adams, the Boulevard goalkeeper, was picking the ball out of the net again after Bean was gifted a goal.

Adams was unable to hold on to Corday’s speculative shot from distance and Bean was left with the simple task of tapping home from close range.

Boulevard should have equalised moments after Trojans conceded a penalty. However, Bean was equal to the task, diving to his left to save Coke’s poorly struck penalty.

Trojans had a strong case for a penalty themselves when Ayshaun Smith, the midfielder, went tumbling in the box. But Boulevard dodged a bullet as what looked a certain foul went unpunished by the match officials.

The home side were further frustrated when Smith pounced on some loose defending to draw the teams level eight minutes before the interval. Trojans failed to deal with a cross from the left side and Smith finished with aplomb with a crisp left-footed shot that went in off the near post.

Trojans were firmly in control in the second half and should have killed the game off.

Bean had a glancing header with his back to goal flash past the far post, while Tahj Wade’s goal-bound effort took a deflection with Adams in no-man’s-land. Corday also headed Wade’s cross over from close range when scoring seemed easier.

After defending for long spells, Boulevard nearly snatched all three points late on after Coke got behind the defence, but could only watch as Bean pushed his angled effort around the post.