Somerset Eagles 1

St. David's 1

(Somerset Eagles win 5-4 on penalties)

Goalkeeper Tahj Bell was the hero of yesterday's First Division Dudley Eve match with the overseas student saving Aaron Lugo's spot-kick to claim Somerset Eagles a pulsating penalty shoot-out victory over St. David's at Police Field.

The Bermuda Under-20 international, who was a member of his school's double-winning varsity soccer team that recently won the New England championships and the Ray Brown Cup, made a triumphant return to domestic football.

After failing to make any impact in the first four spot kicks, Bell sprawled to his right to save Lugo's penalty, St. David's fifth, to seal a 5-4 penalty shoot-out win.

"It was a hard fought match I felt we dominated, apart from my mistake which gave them the goal, but it was what we deserved," said Bell.

"It could have been more goals, but that's how the game goes.

"I don't really have thoughts when it come to penalties, I just picked my side and if it works it works.

"I didn't get to a few of them but the one I felt I could stop I gave my all in getting to and in the end that was difference."

And work it did, as his heroics earned his side a Boxing Day date with St. George's.

Yet Eagles were made to fight for the win after being down 1-0 after 29 minutes courtesy of a Landro Minors tap-in.

A free kick taken by Anthony Burchall was knocked back across the goalmouth for Minors to make no mistake with the goal at his mercy from six yards out.

Whatever coach Kenny Thompson barked to his troops in the dressing room surely struck a chord as two minutes after the restart Eagles were level, with Troy Tucker being the bearer of good tides.

With neither side being able to break the dead lock for the remainder of the match, the agony of the dreaded penalty shootout loomed over both sides.

Back and forth the seesaw went until Lugo stepped up to keep his side in the match.

To the dismay of the St. David's fans behind the goal, Bell pulled a save right out of the top drawer to deny the Islanders the inside track to a place in the New Year's Day final.

Bell stated that he is confident his side has what it takes to not only win the tournament, but promotion as well.

"We are looking to win this trophy.

"We will play hard until we are knocked out, but a trophy over the holiday would be nice.

"We want to win this and carry the momentum into the second half of the season.

"Promotion is the main goal but for now, we are focused on the Dudley Eve."