Somerset Trojans 4

Devonshire Cougars 4

(after extra-time)

After a wonder goal, a sending off, two penalties and 120 minutes of dramatic football culminated in an eight-goal stalemate, these two sides will have to square off again to decide who progresses to round two of the FA Cup.

Trojans were a minute away from winning it in regulation time and then Cougars were four minutes away from victory in extra-time, but so tremendous was the effort of both sets of players that a draw was the only fair result.

This was a classic cup tie between the two most in-form sides on the Island and it was highlighted by a stunning individual goal from Trojans substitute Rohaan Simons that will not be bettered this season.

His effort came two minutes into extra-time with the scores tied at 2-2.

Simons received the ball on the half-way line and sprinted at tremendous pace, evading three Cougars challenges on his way into the penalty area before he slipped it between the legs of goalkeeper Ricardo Brangman to spark scenes of delirium at Somerset Cricket Club.

Dazzling winger Domico Coddington was the star for Cougars and netted two goals, including the 89th-minute strike that took the tie into overtime.

His team-mate Aljame Zuill also grabbed a couple.

For Trojans, skipper Jelani Scott converted two penalties after Dwight Basden?s goal had given the home side a half-time lead.

And Trojans coach Dennis Brown will probably be happier with the result than his counterpart Andrew Bascome, as the West Enders played more than half of the two hours with 10 men following the 53rd-minute dismissal of Jelani Butterfield, sent off apparently for foul and abusive language.

The first half was tight and it was Basden?s 11th-minute effort that gave Trojans the edge. Left winger Adolphus Lambert created the chance, stumbling through two tackles before putting over a perfect cross for the big striker to head powerfully into the net.

Playing in place of the suspended Stephen Astwood, Basden was a colossus for Somerset, spearheading their attacks, holding off and turning Cougars defenders with his strength. But he was lucky to still be on the pitch by the interval.

In the 38th minute, Basden wormed his way through a forest of defenders and pulled the ball back across goal, only to see it cleared. But as he picked himself off the ground, the red mist descended on the striker and with the ball long gone, he launched himself into goalkeeper Brangman with a flying kick. That he escaped a red card can only mean that the officials did not see the incident ? understandable as the ball was 20 yards away.

Eight minutes into the second half, Zuill equalised for Cougars, winning an aerial challenge with goalkeeper Timmy Figureido after Jeremy DeShields? floated free kick from the left flank, before he bundled the loose ball into the net.

Somerset players followed referee Richard Knight back to the centre spot, presumably arguing Figureido had been fouled, and Butterfield went too far with his comments and earned himself a straight red card.

The game opened up and it was Cougars who were capitalising on their numerical advantage, with Coddington causing mayhem. On one occasion, the winger found himself hemmed in at the corner flag by defenders Richard Scott and Marco Butterfield. But Coddington managed to send a flick between the bamboozled pair and emerge with the ball, before putting in one of several dangerous balls that were cleared from inside the six-yard box.

Both Wolfe and Coddington brought fine one-handed saves out of Figureido, before Trojans took the lead out of the blue.

Cougars centre back Shawn Smith was caught in possession by livewire striker Lamaul Crofton, who tried to round Brangman but was tripped by the goalkeeper. Jelani Scott smashed the resulting penalty emphatically into the roof of the net to give the home side a 2-1 lead with 15 minutes to play.

The league champions pushed forward in green and yellow waves, but could not find a way through a doggedly determined Trojans rearguard. When Coddington teed up Reginald Baker 10 yards from goal, but Jelani Scott threw himself across to make a goal-denying sliding tackle, it seemed that Somerset were home and dry.

But with 89 minutes on the clock, it was inevitably Coddington who rescued his side. He lashed a right-footed shot from the right side of the penalty area which took a slight deflection off Jelani Scott that was enough to wrong-foot Figureido and send the match into 30 minutes of extra time.

Simons? wonder goal gave Somerset the lead for the third time, but they stayed ahead for just nine minutes. It was then that Wolfe curled in a free kick from the right wing for Zuill to net from close range with a stooping header.

Six minutes from the end, Cougars took the lead for the first time.

Trojans defender Richard Scott lost his footing as he and Coddington chased a long ball. Coddington took full advantage by smashing a low angled drive into the bottom left-hand corner. His jersey-removing celebration in front of the ecstatic Cougars contingent seemed to signal the end for 10-man Trojans.

That was not how Simons saw it, however. With another searing burst of pace, Simons skipped past one challenge and then went down in the penalty area as Cougars? Omar Butterfield came across. Referee Knight had a clear view and pointed to the spot without hesitation, much to Cougars? chagrin.

Jelani Scott maintained his composure under heart-thumping pressure to convert the spot kick low to Brangman?s right and level the scores at 4-4.

If the replay is half as good as this one, the fans are in for a treat.

Trojans: T.Figureido, N.Wade (T.Sousa 38 mins), S.Riley, R.Scott, M.Butterfield, J.Scott, J.Butterfield, D.Swan (C.Moulder 78 mins), D.Basden (R.Simons 66 mins), L.Crofton, A.Lambert.

Cougars: R.Brangman, S.Smith, D.Cox, O.Butterfield, R.Parsons (R.Baker 45 mins (J.Mallory 104 mins)), J.DeShields, J.Butterfield, K.Steede (H.Wolfe 27 mins), C.Caisey, D.Coddington, A.Zuill.

Men of the match: Rohaan Simons (Trojans), Domico Coddington (Cougars)

Yellow card: Richard Scott (Trojans)

Red card: Jelani Butterfield (Trojans)

Referee: Richard Knight