Somerset Trojans 0 Robin Hood 0 (Robin Hood win 4-1 on penalties)

Robin Hood goalkeeper Curtis Jackson sprang into action when it mattered most by diving full length to his right to save the first two spot-kicks as his side beat Somerset Trojans in a penalty shoot-out to make it into the First Division Shield final at PHC Field on Saturday night.

After a goalless 120 minutes, the young goalkeeper was glad to have done his part to see his team through to the final, in which they will face Somerset Eagles on New Year’s Day.

“I just kept my eyes on the ball and stretched full length for both of them,” said the soft-spoken Jackson.

“I’m glad to have done my part to send my team through. It should be a tough match in the Finals but I hope we win.”

The match started with both teams taking a while to adjust to the cold and windy conditions with neither side able to put a foot on the ball and find a rhythm with their passing.

Hood were the first to make the adjustments and threatened when wingback Kimani Davis latched onto a weighted through ball forcing Trojans goalkeeper Kijuan Symonds to advance and block his goalbound effort for a corner.

Minutes later, Hood midfielder Xahvi Deroza displayed some crafty and close dribbling skills to get into the box but would scuff his shot under pressure.

Trojans then started to improve and came more into the game. Jaellan Greaves’s corner was headed against the crossbar and bounced down, which resulted in a goalmouth scramble with a strong appeal for a handball in the box. But after consulting with his assistant, referee Isaiah O’Brien allowed play to continue.

Hood thought they had scored when veteran striker Keishen Bean was put through but his shot deflected off the goalkeeper and headed towards goal before Taj-Rae Outerbridge produced a desperate lunge to clear the ball just as it was about to cross the goalline.

On the hour mark, Somerset’s playmaker Greaves threaded a perfectly measured pass to put Enrique Mendes through but Jackson did well to advance and make a foot save to deny his low shot.

Hood came close to scoring moments later when Sebastian Madeiros executed a neat flick-on, which hit the upright and caused a scramble before Symonds was well positioned to cradle the loose ball.

Bean nearly clinched the winner for Hood at the death with a slick glancing header but Symonds was alert and smothered the ball at his near post. Not to be outdone, the Trojans had the last chance in regulation time but Jaire Shields would miscontrol Greaves’s cross to the back post with the ball rolling wide off the upright.

Each team had a golden opportunity to score in extra time with Hood’s James Cooper dribbling and unleashing a low drive that brought a spectacular diving save from Symonds, who pushed the ball around the post.

At the other end, Greaves picked out Isaiah Francis with his free kick but the tall substitute could only head over the top with the last touch to send the match into a penalty shoot-out.

Jackson pulled off his heroics to propel his team into the finals, saving first from Jaz Ratteray-Smith and then Keyni Mills.

Teams

Somerset Trojans (4-2-3-1): K Symonds 7 ― S Tatem 6 (sub: T Cariah, 58min 5), M Tear-Deleon 6, T Outerbridge 6, E Shakir 5 (sub: I Francis, 82 5) ― J Greaves 7, C Durham 6 ― K Mills 6, Jadan Ratteray-Smith 5, J Shields 5 ― J Butterfield 5 (sub: E Mendes, 27 5; sub: Jaz Ratteray-Smith, 114) Substitutes not used: J Franklin, J Simmons, D Johnson. Booked: Shakir, Greaves, Jaz Ratteray-Smith.

Robin Hood (4-2-3-1): C Jackson 7 ― S Madeiros 6, Tariq Bean 6, T Manders 5 (sub: K Binns-Leverock, 93 5), K Davis 5 ― H Ziai 6, Tokia Bean 6 (sub: J Taylor, 91 5) ― S Davis 5 (sub: J Cooper, 58 6), K Naylor 6 (sub: T Correia, 105 5), X Deroza 7 ― K Bean 7. Substitutes not used: M Holder, R Ziai, A Peets. Booked: Deroza, Ziai, Madeiros, Davis.

Referee: I O’Brien