Somerset took the shortest route to their seventh Dudley Eve Trophy final on Boxing Day at PHC Stadium -- but they needed a 53rd-minute header from substitute Rodney Bascome to put them in control after a dull first half.

The Trojans made hard work of this victory as both they and the Zebras looked sluggish.

National team player Sammy Swan drove a free kick from 20 yards low and just past the far post in the 10th minute while a Brian Simons free kick at the other end saw Dano Outerbridge stick out a boot to concede a corner just as Randy Simmons was about to shoot.

The Zebras, having already lost twice to Somerset this season, went close again when Sheridan Ming drove a left-foot shot over the bar in the 18th minute before Trojans goalkeeper Winslow Williams hurried out of his area to clear against Winston Trott after a ball down the line by Shawn Simons opened the Somerset defence.

Somerset, without injured top scorer Dwight Basden, hardly threatened a weakened PHC defence, which was without captain Mike Dill. And with their own top scorer Kenny Mills missing and Frank Ming moving from midfield to the heart of the defence alongside Derek Douglas, PHC's midfield looked only a shadow of itself.

Bascome looked set for an early entry with striker Armel Thomas struggling with a groin injury midway through the half. Bascome was warming up in the 28th minute but eventually sat down as Thomas completed the half though he hardly made an impact.

PHC full-back Outerbridge had one of the best chances of the half in the 35th minute when he volleyed straight at 'keeper Williams in a crowded area after picking up a loose ball from a Sammy Swan corner on the right.

Twice in the final seven minutes of the half Thomas had perfect opportunities to make PHC captain Douglas pay for some sloppy defending.

First, in the 38th minute, Douglas allowed a ball to get through his legs as Thomas picked up possession. However, his lack of pace enabled Douglas to regroup and rob him before he could get off a shot.

A similiar thing happened four minutes later when Douglas was beaten and Thomas failed to capitalise. Swan almost made them pay when his shot from an acute angle brought off a good save from Williams at the near post.

Bascome came on for Thomas at the start of the second half to pep up the Somerset attack but it was PHC who almost broke the deadlock just 48 seconds into the second half. Swan beat the unsighted Williams with a well struck free kick from 30 yards but the ball smashed against the underside of the crossbar and Winston Trott could only head over on the rebound.

Williams injured himself in the process and needed treatment to his shoulder.

Seven minutes later Somerset took the lead when Reggie Tucker, marked closely by Dana Rawlins in the first half, found space on the right side and supplied the cross for Bascome to head home at the far post.

Somerset soon took control and added a second goal in the 74th minute when another cross from the right, this time from Kenny Thompson, saw Jerry Webb connect with a firm header.

Swan was booked for a foul on Tucker as frustration set in for the Zebras.

Webb went into referee Frank Drayton's book in the 81st minute for trying to bring down Swan.

Swan remained PHC's most threatening player and only a reflex save by Williams from a Swan scorcher in the 82nd minute kept the Zebras off the scoresheet.

Somerset came close to adding a third five minutes from the end when Shannon Morrissey's shot towards goal saw Bascome stick out a boot and lift the ball over the bar from inside the six-yard box as he tried to deflect it past Ty Williams.

Somerset: W.Williams; B.Simons, L.Simmons, T.Dickinson, P.Place; S.Morrissey, R.Simmons, R.Tucker; K.Thompson, J.Webb (B.Kirkpatrick, 84 mins), A.Thomas (R.Bascome, 45 mins).

PHC: T.Williams; D.Outerbridge, R.Lewis, F.Ming, D.Douglas; O.Steede, S.Ming, D.Rawlins; W.Trott (C.Burgess, 54 mins), S.Swan, S.Simons (S.Russell, 78 mins).

Referee: Frank Drayton.

Men of the match: Reggie Tucker (Somerset); Sammy Swan (PHC).

GETTING TO GRIPS -- PHC's Otis Steede checks to make sure Somerset dangerman Reggie Tucker does not have any more tricks up his sleeve during this midfield tussle. It was the closest the Zebras came to stopping Tucker who laid on the opening goal in the 2-0 win, which takes them into the final of the Dudley Eve Trophy.