Devonshire Cougars ended their season on a winning note when they beat Somerset Trojans 4-3 on penalty kicks in the Expansion League Knockout Cup final at the National Sports Centre yesterday.

Goalkeeper Kioshi Trott was the man of the match, scoring a bizarre opening goal of the game in the second half and then saving two spot-kicks in the shoot-out to give Cougars the edge and revenge over the Trojans for their 6-3 home loss in the Premier Division a month ago. Several first-team players who played in that match featured yesterday for the two teams.

The strong southerly wind was a factor in the match as both teams struggled with long passes.

Justin Corday, whose Somerset team had the wind in their backs in the first half, twice went close from long-range free kicks midway through the half. His first effort from 25 yards was saved by Trott at the near post. Moments later Corday, tried to beat Trott from a free-kick, this time from the left corner of the box, but the effort was inches over the bar.

The wind played a part in the opening goal in the 64th minute, when Trott sent a long kick upfield and watched in disbelief as Somerset goalkeeper Jade Morrissey misjudged the bounce before the wind carried the ball over his head and into the goal.

The Trojans managed to equalise in the 70th minute when a shot from the right side of the box by Jadan Ratteray-Smith was parried by Trott and Corday followed up at the far post to head the ball home.

Morrissey went off with a leg injury two minutes later and was replaced in goal by left back Hewby Butterfield.

Somerset almost snatched a winner in the 78th minute when substitute Evan Heyliger went on a run down the left and crossed for Ratteray-Smith, who scored a hat-trick in that recent match against Cougars, to head the ball against the crossbar.

Goalkeeper Trott came good in the spot-kicks, saving the first kick from Malachi Jones to his left and then Somerset’s fifth penalty from Jaz Ratteray-Smith to his right, before Mark Steede secured the win when he converted the final spot-kick for Cougars.

Zion Simmons, Jahdae Wade and Lovintz Tota also scored for Cougars after Nyeem Simmons drove the first kick over the crossbar.