PHC Zebras 2

Somerset Trojans 2

Super sub Jonathan Bean leapt from the bench to grab a late equalizer for Somerset Trojans in a bad-tempered Premier Division encounter at Somerset Cricket Club last night.

Bean turned in Leo Burgess’s cross four minutes from the end to snatch a vital point for Trojans who find themselves in a relegation battle nearly a year after winning a first Premier Division championship in decades.

Burgess had earlier given Trojans the lead against the run of play before Zebras hit back with two goals from Shakir Smith and Cecoy Robinson inside of five minutes to turn the game on its head.

Both teams had a man sent off. Dion Stovell, the Trojans striker, received his marching orders in the 43rd minute, while Robert Richardson, the PHC centre back, was shown straight red for a harsh tackle on Burgess in the 62nd minute.

Trojans could have been further reduced after Burgess head-butted Jahnai Raynor, the PHC left back, in an off-the-ball incident.

However, the Trojans winger’s transgression, which took place right in front of at least one official, went unnoticed by the referee and his assistants, who were verbally abused by the Somerset fans throughout.

While Zebras have already secured their Premier Division status for next season, the same cannot be said for Trojans who are lingering five-points above the drop zone with one game remaining.

After watching his team claw their way back to snatch a vital point against Zebras, Kieshon Smith, the Trojans coach, shrugged off any relegation concerns.

“I have no concerns about being relegated and we’re just going to keep battling to the end,” said Smith, who came in for some heavy verbal abuse from his team’s fans. “We went down ten men tonight but showed good chracater, which was good stuff. But we still we have a lot of work to do.

“I thought we had enough chances to get the win. But we will take a draw from being down to ten men and a goal.”

PHC made a bright start to what was a “home” match for them, playing with the wind at their backs and nearly took an early lead when Marquel Waldron’s 25-yard blast sailed just inches over the bar.

However, Mark Wade’s team were rocked back on their heels in the 22nd minute when Burgess scored with a neat finish at the far post after being allowed to much time and space in the box.

PHC took only eight minutes to draw level, with Smith heading into an empty net after Shaquille Bean, the Trojans goalkeeper, was left exposed after rushing off his line.

Trojans nearly regained the lead moments after PHC equalized. Daniel Johnson, the PHC goalkeeper, rushed off his line to beat Burgess in a foot race to a loose ball and then courageously saved at the winger’s feet as he shaped up to shoot during another promising raid.

These missed opportunities eventually took their toll when Robinson slotted in a rebound from close range to put Zebras in front for the first time.

Trojans found themselves a man down two minutes before the break when Stovell was booked twice inside of a minute. The striker received his first yellow after an altercation with Diondre Dowling, and then received a second booking for lashing out at the same player with his elbow in an off-the-ball incident.

PHC surrendered their numerical advantage on the hour when Richardson was shown straight red for hacking Burgess to the ground in retaliation for the latter’s head-butt on team-mate Raynor, who received treatment for the nasty blow.

Trojans enjoyed the better exchanges in the second half with the wind at their back and bombarded PHC’s goal with Alton Trott and Burgess rolling efforts just wide of the post.

Johnson was also forced to rush off his line to clear away from the charging Bean, who added some spark to Trojans’s attack after coming as a 65th minute substitute.

PHC eventually collapsed under the pressure in the 86th minute when Bean was left with the easy task of forcing the ball over the line, after Burgess had done all the leg work.

PHC’s front line went cold after the break and Smith’s glaring miss with virtually the last kick of the game perhaps best summed up their frustrations against a Trojans defence that defended far better in the second half.

TEAMS

Scorers

PHC Zebras (Smith 30, Robinson 34)

Somerset Trojans(Burgess 22, Bean 86)

PHC Zebras (4-4-2): D Johnson — J Raynor, N Griffith, R Richardson, D Usher — M Waldron, D Dowling, M Burchall (sub: J Warren-Smith, 68min), C Robinson — S Smith, C Castle (sub: R DeShields, 71). Substitutes not used: Q Hunt, M Lambe, D Smith-Lightbourne, O Tucker, E Russell. Booked: Dowling. Sent off: Richardson, 62.

Somerset Trojans (4-3-3): S Bean — A Lambert, T Ming, J Gooden, D Benjamin (sub: T Harris, 86) — F Crockwell (sub: J Bean, 65), T Wade, A Trott — A Smith (sub: A Seamna, 81), L Burgess, D Stovell. 43. Substitutes not used: V Blanchette, T Brown, J Ratteray-Smith, D Woods, R Ford. Sent off: Stovell,

Referee: E Holmes