Somerset reclaimed top spot in the Coca Cola First Division on Saturday night, using a Trojan effort to oust visiting Devonshire Cougars at the West End.

However, Mother Nature made the biggest impact. While Cougars failed to take advantage of a strong tailwind during the first half, Somerset utilised it to devastating effect in the second.

Striker Rodney Bascome, appearing to have finally rediscovered his touch after an indifferent run of form, and fellow forward Jerry Webb provided two goals for the home side, and there could well have been even more fireworks had the quality of their finishing been a notch higher.

Clevie Campbell scored an injury time consolation goal for Cougars, but this was but a cosmetic blemish on a fine performance by Somerset.

The Trojans entered the game knowing that a victory would send them back to the top and the pressure showed early on, with Cougars running rampant in the first 20 minutes and rocking their hosts.

Captain and sweeper Shawn Smith produced the first threatening move in the fourth minute when he surged through the middle, working a neat one-two with Phillip Clarke before crossing to Campbell, whose shot from eight yards was blocked at the last instant by a recovering defence.

The combination of Clarke and Campbell, with their size and strength, continued to bother Somerset, a fact evidenced in the 21st minute when Campbell, despite the presence of three defenders was able to muscle his way through and get on the end of a delicately flighted free kick by midfielder Wali Salaam. But the header was a weak one that goalkeeper Andre Hendrickson was able to handle easily.

This close encounter came as a wake-up call for Somerset, who finally began to show signs of life, and for the first time Cougars looked vulnerable.

In the 31st minute centre-back Duane DeRoza lumbered down the left flank and fired a bullet cross into the six-yard box that ricocheted off Bascome's right leg and went wide.

Two minutes later Webb missed a `sitter', blasting the ball over the top from just seven yards out as he followed up on a Curtis Grant effort that was parried away by Cougars 'keeper Leon Place.

The visitors' problems were compounded as Clarke went down in a heap clutching his troublesome right hamstring in the 38th minute and had to be replaced.

Bascome added salt to the wound with a clinical piece of finishing on the stroke of half-time.

Grant supplied the pass from deep in midfield to Bascome, on the left side and some 20 yards away from goal. In one motion the striker controlled the ball and turned before unleashing a low, right-foot drive that caught Place unaware, creeping just inside the near post.

After the interval, and with the wind now at their backs, Somerset attacked at will.

The match was, in effect, over as a contest 10 minutes into the second half when Webb benefited from a rare mistake by Smith and Place. Again Bascome was involved.

Picking up a stray ball out on the right, Bascome successfully took on his marker before sending in a looping cross. Place and Smith each hesitated going after the ball near the edge of the penalty area, allowing Webb to nip in between and glance a header past the now stranded Place.

Smith attempted to redeem himself moments later as he forced Hendrickson to parry away his drive of a Salaam corner.

Still, Somerset remained in command, despite concerted efforts by Salaam, who worked tirelessly in midfield, setting an example for his team-mates.

Bascome, seeking to produce the spectacular, blasted wide from eight yards after he and skipper Reggie Tucker had combined to create an opening in the 78th minute.

Cougars' reward finally came in the dying stages as Campbell notched his 10th goal of the season and fifth in the last four games.

Substitute Paul Simmons got through on a breakaway, but had his shot blocked by Hendrickson. However, Campbell was there to force the ball into the low right corner.

The result put Somerset on top of the standings with 16 points, the same as defending champions Dandy Town, but the former have a superior goal difference.

Meanwhile, Cougars find themselves thrust further into the relegation zone, alongside neighbours Devonshire Colts, with 10 points from 12 matches, just one more than bottom club and one adrift of Vasco and PHC.

Somerset: A.Hendrickson; A.Burchall, D.DeRoza, B.Simons (C.Grant 32 mins), J.Burrows, R.Butterfield; A.Rahman, R.Simmons, R.Tucker; J.Webb (L.Crofton 76 mins), R.Bascome.

Devonshire Cougars: L.Place; M.Dill, D.Duyrrant, S.Smith, S.Coddington; D.Russell, W.Salaam, C.Azhar; D.Bean (J.Salaam 62 mins), P.Clarke (P.Simmons 42 mins), C.Campbell.

Referee: Peter Sousa.

Men of the match: Andrew Rahman (Somerset); Wali Salaam (Devonshire Cougars).

Port Royal 2 Wolves 0 Port Royal moved from fifth to fourth in the Daihatsu Second Division standings, using two first half goals to floor Wolves in the curtain raiser at Somerset.

Wolves started off disastrously as Dean Pitt scored in his own net after just nine minutes.

The scoring was completed by Winston Thomas in the 24th minute as Royal thrust the gear stick into cruise control, teasing their opponents to the point of frustration.

This was illustrated in the dying stages of the second half as Andy Laws received his marching orders for retaliation, after attempting to kick a Port Royal player following a harsh tackle.