In a bid to savour long overdue cup glory this season, Somerset Trojans are fast running out of opportunities.

Having first been denied a record-tying eighth Martonmere Cup triumph last month, Dennis Brown?s new-look squad were then bundled out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle.

Trojans and Devonshire Cougars battled to a thrilling 4-4 draw in the first FA Cup clash at Somerset Cricket Club. However, Cougars edged Trojans 2-1 in the replay two days later at the Den.

Now to add to Trojans? cup woes, the West Enders crashed out of the Friendship Trophy on Sunday after suffering a 3-0 away loss to North Village.

The only silverware left that Trojans can challenge for in a season that promised so much is this month?s Dudley Eve Champions Cup and Premier Division league championship.

In spite of their poor cup run this season, Somerset remain unbeaten in league play, three points ahead of nearest rivals Village with six matches remaining.

?We are disappointed to go out of another competition but we did get two very tough draws. In the FA Cup we got Cougars who are a very good side and obviously Village are in the in-form team at the moment. They probably finished the first half of the season as good as anybody and so we have to keep things in perspective,? said Trojans assistant coach Paul Scope, speaking from the UK yesterday.

Scope, who will lead Trojans in the absence of the vacationing Brown against Dandy Town on Friday night, will be in attendance at Birmingham City?s home clash against Manchester United today along with Damon Ming and Shaun Goater.

He added: ?The expectations (for cup glory) were high and we did come pretty close in the Martonmere.

?But I actually think it?s quite remarkable Somerset went the first half of the league season undefeated which is testament to the progress we?ve made.

?If we hadn?t missed a penalty against Village we would have been six points ahead. But now we have to finish the job, though at the moment I don?t think there?s much to choose between four teams all capable of beating the other on any given day.?

The coach was alluding to the likes of Dandy Town, Village and injury-riddled Cougars.

?I think Cougars are still very much a threat because they are a well coached team,? Scope warned. ?Andrew (Bascome) is a very smart coach who knows how to get the best out of his players and Cougars also have some talented youngsters.?

Trojans were without team captain Jelani Scott and diminutive defender Shawn (Luther) Riley during Sunday?s loss to Village at the Barn.

However, according to Scope, Scott will be back for Friday?s clash while Riley and another defender, Marco Butterfield, will be off Island for the duration of the festive tournament.

?There?s no doubt these players will be missed because they are terrific players who have a lot of heart and normally the ones we rely on whenever the chips are down,? he added.

Scope fancies Trojans? chances for Dudley Eve glory.

?I think this is where we are fairly comfortable in that we have a big squad,? he said. ?I think our squad might hold up better than others because we have other players who can come into the team. But they need to step up because we?ve definitely got to bounce back.

?If there?s anyone who thinks Dennis (Brown) and myself are satisfied, we?re not. We don?t think this team has played as well as they can even though we are sitting on top of the league.

?I think we can do better and we are actually looking forward to playing better during the second half of the season.

?I think at times we didn?t play well and still won. But you just can?t keep getting away with that. And I believe our players realise now you can?t keep playing less than 100 percent and expect to keep winning.

?And so Sunday?s loss might have been a valuable lesson for them to learn.?