Somerset and Boulevard both remained firmly locked in the relegation zone, but Boulevard will be the happier with the point after an untidy game at Somerset Cricket Club yesterday.

A Trojans win would have put them five points above the drop zone but with three sides set to go down this season, they will continue to look worriedly over their shoulders at both Southampton, who lost to Dandy Town, and their opponents yesterday.

And, in fact, it was a game that they should have had sewn up by the break after dominating the first 45 minutes, forcing a glut of corners, and keeping Boulevard on the back foot for long periods.

Their best chance of a goal seemed likely to come via the poor handling of Antoine Tuzo in the Boulevard goal, but time and again his defence came to his rescue as high crosses went to ground.

From one of five corners in the first nine minutes, Curtis Grant might have given the home side the lead. However, his thundering goalbound left foot volley from 20 yards as Boulevard tried to clear smashed into the body of Dean Boyles, who lay dazed by its power for a few seconds.

After 16 minutes, Richard Scott linked well with Aaron Williams on the right and surged into the box but was running too fast to retain his balance and the chance was lost.

Another chance went begging as Tuzo lost the ball in a melee following a flag kick but the ball was poked wide.

Boulevard were showing little up front but twice in a minute they could have made Somerset pay, first as Shakai Crockwell's snapshot from the left edge of the area brought a fine parry from Keenan Tucker and then when Stevie Wade saw his shot blocked following a long throw.

Leroy Stevens and Vernon Eve continued to be overworked at the heart of the Blazers' defence, but again their side went close, a minute before the break, when this time a corner broke loose in the Somerset box. However, Adam Melvin got under the ball a little too much and blasted a foot over from nine yards.

Somerset were forced to bring on David Burchall at the beginning of the second half for the injured Nadir Wade and Ralph Burrows replaced Rodney Bascome eight minutes later. With 17 minutes of the second half gone, they threw on Jermaine Dill for Grant -- a move that almost cost them dear when Wade's twin brother, Nasir, went down with an injury and left them playing with ten men for the final 12 minutes.

The hosts were still largely in control but their inability to select the final ball was beginning to frustrate them. Boulevard sensed their confusion and with the extra man began to press forward.

And a neat move involving Lamaul Crofton, Stevie Wade and Robert Wilson almost brought them a winner ten minutes from time, but the latter just shot wide of the far post from an acute angle.

Somerset almost grabbed the three points themselves when Andre Bean's powerful free kick from 30 yards skimmed past the angle of bar and post with a minute of normal time remaining.

Somerset: K.Tucker, A.Rahman, J.Richards, R.Scott, K.Roberts, Nadir Wade (D.Burchall 45 mins), A.Bean, C.Grant (J.Dill 62 mins), Nasir Wade, R.Bascome (R.Burrows 53 mins), A.Williams.

Boulevard: A.Tuzo, D.Boyles (L.Dill 79 mins), M.Trott, V.Eve, L.Stevens, J.Samuels, R.Wilson, S.Wade, S.Crockwell D.Samuels, A.Melvin (A.Brown 53 mins).

Referee: Cal Simons.

Men of the match: K.Roberts (Somerset); L.Stevens (Boulevard).

Yellow card: R.Wilson (Boulevard).