Flanagan’s Onions 0 Somerset Trojans 0

Flanagan’s Onions marked their return to the top flight with a hard-fought draw at home to Somerset Trojans at Goose Gosling Field last night.

Despite being forced to make several changes at the back the home side held the Trojans attack at bay and nearly secured all three points when Treshun Smith, the winger, struck the upright with virtually the last kick of this see-saw battle played at blistering pace.

Onions made two changes at right full back and were also forced to drop midfielder Peter Robey to centre half after Markez Laws pulled his right hamstring and was carried off by his team-mates and replaced.

Robey had a major say in his team coming away with a share of the spoils as he was in the right place at the right time to clear away Tahj Wade’s lob just in front of the goalline.

Mick Ward, the Onions player-coach, was satisfied with his team’s display and said they were unfortunate not to capitalise on some late pressure in the attacking third.

“I thought towards the end they tired a little more than we did,” he said. “A lot more balls ended up in their box than ours with some decent chances.

“But nil-nil it can still go either way and even if you’re on top the opposition can nick it. But a clean sheet in our first game back in the top flight, we’ll take it.”

Trojans also had their chances and with better finishing should have had the points sewn by the break.

“I think it was a good match from both sides,” Danvers Seymour Jr, the Trojans coach, said. “Both teams had their chances and I want to kiss the youngster [Smith] for missing that late chance. We’re off the mark but we need to build on a lot.

“It’s a good start and I am grateful for the result.”

Trojans held a slight edge during the opening stanza but were unable to breakthrough largely through poor finishing, with striker Daunte Woods and wingers Jesse James-Seymour and Jaden Ratteray Smith and Keiron Wilson, the left back, all wasting good opportunities.

Onions nearly took the lead against the run of play when Keston Lewis arrowed a shot just wide of the far post and had an overhead kick saved by Hubert Butterfield, the Trojans goalkeeper.

The second half had fewer clear-cut chances as both teams continued to battle for control of midfield.

Smith dragged a shot wide after being played through by Lewis while at the other end Vernon Perinchief, making his debut for Trojans following a summer move from Southampton Rangers, just failed to get enough of his head on Seymour’s cross. Wade then had what seemed a sure goal scrambled away shortly after Laws pulled up and then Trojans breathed a sigh of relief when Smith pinged the near post from close range right on the final whistle.

TEAMS

Flanagan’s (4-3-3): S Gould - N Dunkle, A Brown, M Laws (sub: M Ward, 78), B Tucker (sub: S Swan, 65), J Knight, J Scott, P Robey, T Smith, C Burns (sub: V Anton, 84), K Lewis. Substitutes not used: C Berkeley, G Muir, R Calvert, D Thompson.

Somerset (4-3-3): H Butterfield - K Wilson (sub: J Corday, 84), T Ming, V Wall-Brown, T Jahron-Outerbridge, C Durham, A Trott (sub: Z Iris, 65), T Wade, J James- Seymour, J Ratteray-Smith, D Woods (sub: V Perinchief, 65). Booked: Wade. Substitutes not used: R Cann, D Lister, A Seaman.

?Referee: C Trott.