Devonshire Cougars 2 Somerset Eagles 0

Devonshire Cougars booked their place in the Friendship Trophy final with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Somerset Eagles at PHC Field yesterday.

Against a relatively lacklustre Eagles outfit, Cougars eased to victory with a goal in each half as Shaki Pearman’s fortuitous first-half opener was added to by a brilliantly taken second from Elisha Darrell to wrap up proceedings and progression.

Having booked their final ticket, Cougars coach Vance Brown has challenged his side to go one step further and ultimately reap their rewards on New Year’s Day against the winners of the second semi-final between Robin Hood and Southampton Rangers.

“It was a good game and having come out on top I’m delighted,” Brown said.

“I thought we dominated throughout, they didn’t start particularly strongly and we kicked off with high energy which showed, particularly in the first half.

“The group has worked hard and we’ve given ourselves a chance of winning a trophy. Hopefully, we can get the ultimate reward in the final now.

“We won’t worry about who our opponents are going to be in the final, we just have to prepare right and worry about ourselves.”

Cougars came firing out of the blocks and should have broken the deadlock after ten minutes but Darrell’s tame volley, from Lovintz Tota’s inviting cross, was saved easily by Lorenzo Burch.

However, five minutes later Eagles were duly punished for their sluggish start as Pearman’s teasing inswinging cross from the left evaded everyone, including goalkeeper Burch, who could only watch on helplessly as the ball nestled into the far bottom corner.

The setback appeared to finally jolt Jensen Rogers’s side into life with their first opportunity coming on the half-hour mark, but Ethan Fubler could only guide his header over the bar after rising highest to meet a deep free kick.

At the other end, Cougars again breached the opposition defence as Zari Simmons raced on to a through ball from Darrell down the right-hand side, skipped inside his marker, but failed to test Burch as he dragged his left-foot effort wide of the near post.

Through all of their dominance, Cougars only held a solitary goal lead heading into the interval and there were almost made to rue their profligacy immediately after the restart. Chare Smith managed to get beyond the Eagles defence, but could not beat the onrushing Ajai Daniels who smothered the ball at the forward’s feet. Daniels was called into action again moments later, diving to his right to hold on to a goalbound effort inside the area from Nathan Rego.

The tide had turned completely in Eagles favour who came agonisingly close to levelling with half an hour remaining. Tahj Wade’s strike deflected in the direction of Chare Smith inside the area, who instinctively guided a header goalbound, beating the rooted Daniels, who watched on gratefully as the ball looped just wide of his right upright.

However, that was as good as it got for Eagles as Cougars quickly got back into the ascendancy and regained control for the final 20 minutes.

Allan Douglas was introduced into the action and almost made an instant impact glancing a header narrowly wide before Tota tested Burch with a low shot.

With seven minutes remaining, Cougars finally doubled their advantage and put the result beyond doubt. Intricate build up between Douglas and Darrell saw the latter through on goal, with the forward keeping his composure to deftly guide a left-footed curling effort beyond the reach of Burch and into the top left corner.

Eagles coach Rogers was left searching for answers as to why his side were so surprisingly subdue in defeat, especially after claiming a shock point away at Premier Division high flyers Hood a week ago.

“Things just weren’t right and we just couldn’t get going for what ever reason,” he said.

“When we finally did start to click we then made the wrong decisions with the ball. They took their chances and that’s the difference.

“It was strange because we came into the game off the back of a point against Robin Hood and today we just didn’t click, it’s just one of those days I guess.

“Maybe the occasion got to some of the younger players but I think it was more of a case of making things difficult for ourselves. ”

SCORERS

Devonshire Cougars

Pearman 18, Darrell 82

TEAMS

Devonshire Cougars (4-1-4-1): A Daniels — C Brangman (sub: L Millett, 83min), D Cox, J Samuels, Zekiro White — D Simmons —S Pearman, D Simmons (sub: A Douglas, 68), L Tota, Zeko White — E Darrell Substitutes not used: K Trott, A Samuels, C Maybury, N Simmons Booked: A Douglas

Somerset Eagles (4-3-3): L Burch — K Evans, M Iris-Simmons, S Lambert, L Lambert — A Morrissey, R Woodley-Smith (sub: T Wade, 56), D Simmons —E Fubler (sub: R Ford II, 77), N Rego, C Smith Substitutes not used: J De Silva, J Rumley, G Smith Booked: D Simmons, K Evans