Marcus Simmons scored twice as Somerset Eagles defeated Devonshire Colts to capture the Shield Trophy at the National Sports Centre yesterday.

Simmons headed home a corner kick in the 45th minute before rounding goalkeeper Gregory Rose and slotting into an empty net in the dying moments.

Roger Lee, who celebrated his first trophy as Somerset Eagles coach, praised his side’s “team performance” and believed they craved the victory more than their opponents.

“I thought the players did really well,” Lee said. “They came out to play, they came out to win and they took it to Colts, who didn’t lay down and played really well.

“We really wanted it. The boys played like they really wanted it and that was the difference. I’m happy for them, I’m happy for [the Eagles] programme and the happy for the club.”

Lee also singled out Simmons for his impressive goalscoring display on the Eagles left wing.

“Marcus played really well today,” he added. “He was patient and did the things necessary to get those goals and I’m very pleased for him.”

It was somewhat surprising it took until the final minute of the first half for Simons to break the deadlock, considering the amount of chances both teams squandered during an entertaining first period.

Quinn Simmons was the guilty culprit for Colts, missing a hat-trick of chances including a close range effort which he cannoned against the crossbar with the goal at his mercy.

Lozendro Symonds, the Colts captain, should have also done better when he found himself one-on-one with Karl Brown but fired straight at the Eagles goalkeeper with his weaker left foot.

At the other end, Eagles were creating chances of their own with Shentoine Lambert hitting a wild shot over the bar after the ball had fallen invitingly for him after Colts had failed to clear their lines.

Simmons also headed harmlessly over the bar moments before making amends for that miss by looping another header beyond the outstretched dive of Rose from Khimo Harrison’s inswinging corner.

The lively Simmons was denied a second by Rose soon after the interval, although the second half failed to produce the same “bums off seats” excitement as the previous 45 minutes until the latter stages when both teams sprang back into life.

Rose was again called into action, pulling off a fine reaction save from Kanhai Fray, before Colts stepped up their hunt for the leveller. With the sand in their egg timer ebbing away, Colts poured men forward in the final ten minutes and went close to equalising when substitute Eli Smith raced clear but saw his lobbed effort smothered by Brown.

Moments later, Colts had another chance to pull level when the ball broke for Teniko Eve who would have been forgiven for believing the equaliser was a formality as he prepared to pull the trigger, only be to beaten to the punch by Harrison, who slid in to avert the danger.

In the final minute, and with Colts having committed men forward, Eagles struck on the counter-attack when Heys Wolfe, a substitute, released Simmons for his brace to seal the Eagles victory.