Robin Hood 7 Somerset Trojans 1

Robin Hood strolled to a huge victory in their Dudley Eve Trophy opener last night as captain Lejuan Simmons led the rout with a hat-trick.

The result all but assures Hood a place in the semi-final, with Somerset’s hopes of advancing resting on a Hood victory over Devonshire Cougars in the final group match on Wednesday.

Hood were fluent from the outset and grew in confidence after Simmons broke the deadlock in the opening minutes after a quick break down the right from a throw-in, which left him with a simple lob over goalkeeper Yizharyah Williams near the edge of the box.

Simmons, just back from Curaçao with the Bermuda team, laid on the second goal for new signing Tomiko Goater five minutes later, the former Town player running on to a short pass through the middle and rounding the advancing goalkeeper.

Hood were in full control and scored a third in sixteenth minute. This time Williams brought down Antwan Russell in the box and Russell stepped up to score the penalty.

Goater headed just over the bar from a corner on the left before the Trojans had their best two chances of the half, with striker D’Andre Wainwright driving a low shot just wide. Moments later Justin Corday went close from a long-range effort as Somerset started to offer some resistance. However, it did not last long as Simmons scored twice more before the break.

Mazhye Burchall, who had a lively first half, had his effort blocked by Williams before Simmons followed up to plant the rebound inside the far post.

Minutes later Simmons completed his hat-trick, blasting a shot inside the post from the edge of the box to make it 5-0 at the break.

Hood were able to take their foot off the pedal in the second half, replacing Simmons with Casey Castle, the former PHC Zebras midfielder. Somerset also made a change at the start of the second half, bringing on Jaden Ratteray-Smith for defender Jamel Hill in a bid to stop the leakage.

It worked for about 20 minutes, before Hood got on the scoresheet again when midfielder Phil Parsons notched his first goal for the club since his move from X-Roads with a well-struck effort from 20 yards.

Somerset finally got a goal when substitute Antoine Seaman scored from close range after a pass from Jeze Butterfield.

However, Hood restored their six-goal lead with a seventh in the closing minutes from substitute Chris Ricca, who almost added a second when he struck the near post with a curling effort a couple of minutes later.

TEAMS

Robin Hood (4-3-3): D Eve — J Pereira, D Andrade, J Bather, S Smith — T Goater, A Nelson, P Parsons — M Burchall (sub: C Ricca, 69min), L Simmons (sub: C Castle, 46), A Russell. Substitutes not used: T Bean, E Outerbridge, L Symonds.

Somerset Trojans (4-4-2): Y Williams — D Lister (sub: A Seaman, 55), T Ming, J Hill (sub: Jadan Ratteray-Smith, 46), C Durham — J Corday, M Joell, J Greaves (sub: D Swan, 57), J Butterfield — Jaz Ratteray-Smith, D Wainwright. Substitutes not used: J Morrissey, H Butterfield.

Referee: A Francis.