<Bz45>Late strike gives Blazers victory
Boulevard 1
A superb strike from substitute Gregory Johnson with only nine minutes to go lit up an otherwise turgid game last night to give visitors Boulevard Blazers a hard-fought victory over Somerset Trojans in the Premier’s Dudley Eve Cup.
On a chilly, damp night at Somerset Cricket Club, where hundreds of enthusiastic spectators donned warm coats and woolly hats to watch the action from the sidelines, both sides struggled to find their passing rhythm, with attack after attack breaking down in the final third.
But just when it looked as if the game would inevitably have to be decided on penalties, a wonderful ball from Boulevard midfielder Chae Simmons split the Trojans back four and fell into the path of Johnson some forty yards from goal, who still had a lot to do before taking a couple of touches and unleashing an exquisite right-foot shot which flew past a helpless Timmy Figureido in the Trojans goal and found the top right hand corner of the net.
The strike also gave Boulevard — who are sitting pretty at the halfway point of the Premier Division, some six points clear of their nearest rivals — their second victory over the boys from the West End in nine days, having come from behind to win their league game 2-1 in Somerset on December 13.
Boulevard have now earned the right to play the might of defending Dudley Eve champions Devonshire Cougars on Boxing Day at Lords while as losers, Trojans will have to wait until December 28 to play North Village, who lost narrowly to Cougars 4-3 in the preceding round.
While last night’s match at Somerset Cricket Club will not live long in the memory, of more immediate concern to both the Blazers and national team coaches Kyle Lightbourne and Paul Scope would have been the sight of experienced Bermuda defender Stanton Lewis twisting his knee in the game’s latter stages and having to be stretchered off in some quite obvious pain.
The full extent of the injury was not clear last night, but Lightbourne particularly will be hoping it is nothing too serious with just under two weeks before the team depart for their crucial Digicel Cup playoff games in Trinidad.
Meanwhile, in the first match of the night, a Henry Santucci hat-trick gave Ireland Rangers a deserved 3-1 win over a lacklustre Wolves to set up a clash with Devonshire Colts in the next round of the First Division Dudley Eve Cup on Boxing Day.
Vincent Minors got the sole Wolves goal.
Boulevard Blazers: N.Darrell, J.Payne, J.Warren, S.Lewis, C.Matthews, R.Saltus (G.Johnson 62), C.Simmons, M.Gibbons, K.Butterfield (S.Crockwell 55), R.Burgess (T.ters 63)
Booked: <$>D.Stovell (Trojans), K.Butterfield, J.Payne ulevard)
Sent off: <$>J.Pe
Men of the match: <$>D.Stovell (Trojans), C.Simm (Boulevard)
Referee:<$>Jenny Villamarin
