Somerset 3 Dandy Town 0

Somerset saw their Premier League status come to an end despite this comfortable 3-0 victory over Dandy Town on a heavy pitch at Somerset Cricket Club yesterday.

With the second and final relegation spot between Trojans and Devonshire Colts undecided before yesterday's action, the men from the west went into the game knowing they had to win and hoping that Colts would slip up in order to overcome the one-point gap bewteen the two sides.

But carving out one of their best wins of the season still wasn't enough for the West Enders as Colts dumped Boulevard 3-2.

"It was all down to us," said a subdued Somerset captain Jelani Scott. "We didn't have the commitment from the start of the season and this made it hard for us coming into the stretch.

"With our backs against the wall, guys started to fight but it was too little, too late."

The excitement in yesterday's match didn't come until the second half with both teams finally coming to grips with the slippery surface after a lacklustre first half which saw neither side creating chances.

Dion Stovell, who has been on sparkling form for Somerset in the second half of the season, got Trojans off the mark as he beat his marker and slipped the ball under Hornets 'keeper Kejon Sampson to make it 1-0 in the 67th minute.

Eleven minutes later substitute Dwight Basden doubled the home side's lead.

A goalmouth scramble saw the ball pop into Basden's path and he made no mistake from six yards out.

The onslaught continued as Town, who fielded a number of youth players, never really looked like threatening Timmy Figuerido's goal, although Heys Wolfe did create a few chances that ultimately fizzled out.

Somerset's Adrian Burrows showed some acrobatics in the 80th minute with a diving header to give the Trojans faithful something to cheer.

And they might have had more reason to be optimistic after hearing reports that Boulevard had pulled a goal back against Colts to make the scoreline in that game 3-2.

But it all came to nothing as referee Lyndon Raynor blew the final whistle and with the result at BAA Field remaining 3-2, Somerset were resigned to playing early Sunday football next year.

Skipper Scott said his team had no one to blame but themselves.

"Our victories came late in the season and we dug ourselves too big of a hole to get out of.

"The talent was always here, we just need to have the commitment and we won't have these problems."

Returning to the Premier League next season would be a top priority, Scott added.

"Firstly, if people don't want to be committed, we won't succeed in anything we do", he said.

"If we put in the time and energy into training, it will show on the pitch.

" We won't accept anything less than an immediate return to the Premier League."

Somerset: T.Figuerido, S.Riley, J.Scott, M.Thomas, D.Swan, A.Burrows, D.Stovell, C.Robinson, R.Bascome (D.Basden, 54 mins), A.Lambert, R.Cann (J.Tucker. 59 mins)

Dandy Town: K.Sampson, G.Butterfield (T.Caines, 82 mins), M.Campbell, E.Signor, S.Smith, S.Darrell, S.Furbert, B.Minors (L.Holder, 78 mins), H.Wolfe, J.Swan, M.Smith

Referee: Lyndon Raynor

Man of the Match: J.Scott (Somerset)