Somerset Trojans 1

Boulevard 0

Controversy erupted on the opening day of the league season as newly-promoted Boulevard suffered their first loss in over a year after an opportunistic strike from Somerset's diminutive forward Damon Ming gave the Trojans a hard fought win at Somerset yesterday.

At one point it appeared the match might not even finish when Boulevard players surrounded referee Richard Knight and were involved in arguments for all of 10 minutes.

Play eventually resumed but the current referees' shortage was again highlighted and would ultimately cast a grey shadow on this match as new assistant Curtis Richardson - the only linesman to turn up - appeared increasingly nervous on his debut.

Poor finishing on the part of Boulevard also led to their demise as last season's top marksman Melchisedec Gibbons, Conneko Trott and Tekeyhi Walker opted for the spectacular when simplicity would have prevailed.

Trojan striker Marvin Belboda had a goal disallowed in the 16th minute and soon after the bulky forward was at it again, this time watching in disbelief as his low drive from an acute angle just inside the 18 yard box came back off the far post.

However, the real fireworks would unravel on the visitors' next foray.

Penetrating down Somerset's right flank, Shaki Crockwell sent in a well weighted cross which the ever dangerous Gibbons redirected towards goal. Trojans' midfielder Andrew Rahman appeared to handle the ball on the goal-line, but referee Richard Knight waved play on.

Then as if to rub salt into the wound, Somerset broke upfield and Belboda, standing in what appeared to be an offside position, was allowed to continue his run before sending a wicked drive that flew into the net past a hapless Corby Durrant.

But while Belboda was celebrating, at least two Blazers' fans invaded the pitch to join their team who by now had gathered around referee Knight in the centre circle to protest both the apparent hand ball and obvious offside goal.

After ten minutes of discussion involving both team captains and the referee, Knight decided to disallow the goal.

"I have heard a lot of lectures about how we are trying to improve the standard of football and do this for football, but you show up for a game and they don't even have any qualified assistants out here . . ." exclaimed Blazers' coach John Rebello following the match.

"A Premier Division match and the first one of the season at that. So what does that tell you for the rest of the season.

"We have been out there since the beginning of June training four times a week only to come all the way up here to open the season with a referee and no qualified assistants. That's pathetic and unacceptable and really was something that should have been taken care of since June."

Somerset assistant coach Paul Scope, though delighted with the win, remained baffled as to why Belboda's goal was disallowed.

"I would still like to know why the goal was disallowed because we scored a perfectly good goal," said Scope.

"But it didn't matter in the end because we got the goal that we deserved. I think that we deserved to win on more controlled possession."

The decisive strike came in the 56th minute when Ming, left unattended at the far post, converted from close range following a cross from Belboda.

Somerset: T.Figureido, G.Ray, R.Scott, K.Roberts, A.Rahman, T.Davis, S.Riley, D.Ming, D.Stovell (M.Smith, 68 mins), D.Lawler (D.Swan, 55 mins), M.Belboda (C.Grant,77 mins).

Boulevard: C.Durrant, S.Wade (V.Phillips, 79 mins), L.Stevens, A.Caisey, R.Wilson, J.Samuels, M.Gibbons, C.Trott (J.Samuels, 65 mins), L.Hypolite, S.Crockwell, T.Walker (R.Saltus, 79 mins).

Booked: K.Roberts (Somerset 87 mins); J.Samuels (72 mins), Jah Samuels (90 mins) (Boulevard).

Men of the match: D.Ming (Somerset); M.Gibbons (Boulevard).

Referee: R.Knights.