Somerset Trojans 1 Paget 3

Shakir Smith scored two goals of the highest quality to lead Paget to their first league victory of the season over newly promoted Somerset Trojans at Somerset Cricket Club on Saturday.

Smith said he loves playing at Somerset Cricket Club, regardless of his team. “This is my field,” Smith asserted. “I always deliver here, regardless of the time or opponent.”

Trojans had the first real chance three minutes into a first period that was largely controlled by their visitors, with Kameron McNeil switching the play to Kynde Mallory on the left, who drove into space and fired a tame effort that lacked direction and was comfortably saved by Paget keeper Jade Morrissey.

Former Somerset Eagles talisman Smith had his first amazing moment of the day five minutes later after Elliot Proctor found him on the right. He was allowed to drift inside and whip a beautiful finish into the “postage stamp” at the far post, with Trojans keeper Kyjuan Symonds left stunned.

Trojans struggled heavily to match the workrate of the Dudley Eve semi-finalists, especially lacking conviction whenever they got into the final third. Those moments came few and far between because Lions held a very compact midfield and largely forced their hosts wide.

The red and black finally started to play with some tempo in the latter stages of the first half, although their next true opportunity stemmed from a powerful effort by key player Kymani McNeil 25 yards out, which was parried over the bar by strong reflexes from Morrissey.

Trojans captain Justin Donawa jumped over a few Paget defenders to connect with the resulting corner, but he powered his header over the bar.

Paget could have doubled their lead in the first minute of first-half stoppage time, but back-up striker Davin Dill smashed a low effort from distance off the outside of the post.

Trojans nearly equalised on the stroke of half when Keyni Mills played forward to skipper Donawa, who turned Nelson Carpenter and wrapped an effort towards the near corner, but Morrissey stretched every muscle to palm it over the bar.

Paget doubled their lead in controversial circumstances five minutes into the second period, when Kamau Leverock found Dill inside the area with a floated ball, and Kameron McNeil had his arm in an unnatural position when the ball struck it; referee Nikolai Nyron pointed to the spot. Paget captain Hart fired in his second league penalty of the season to give them a vital cushion.

Somerset battled back valiantly to pull one back four minutes later, when Justin Corday fired a free kick from distance towards the far post and Morrissey parried back into the danger area, where Keyni Mills tucked into an unguarded net.

Smith produced his second incredible moment fifteen minutes from time after a lofted ball found him on the edge of the box with three defenders confronting him. He did the ‘rainbow’ dribble to evade each on before chipping Trojans keeper Symonds.

“I had to compose myself,” Smith said when describing his second goal. “I kept telling myself to take one more touch until the right time to finish.”

The remainder of the match wasn’t littered with goalmouth action, although Eijaz Shakir was let off for denying substitute Antinori Butterfield a chance on goal a few minutes before the end. He was shown a yellow card.

Smith believes Paget should compete for silverware this season. “I have seen our opponents so far,” Smith concluded. “We competed well against Village, should have won last week [against St George’s], and beat a good Somerset team today. We should be in the race for a trophy.”

Scorers

Somerset Trojans: Mills 54

Paget Lions: Smith 8, 74; Hart 50 pen

TEAMS

Somerset Trojans: K Symonds, J Donawa, T Burgess, E Shakir, K Mills, Kameron McNeil, M Joell, K Mallory, Kymani McNeil, J Corday, C Durham. Substitutes: J Shields, B Daryl Tyson-Gooden, J Simmons, D Swan, Z Saltus-Seymour, Jadan Ratteray-Smith.

Paget Lions: J Morrissey, D Hart, K Leverock, R Deshields, D Dill, A Lee, N Carpenter, E Proctor, K Simons, M Wade, S Smith. Substitutes: K Hypolite, A Butterfield, Xion Smith, S Bean, A Russell.

Referee: N Nyron (Trinidad and Tobago)