Somerset Trojans 1 North Village 1

Somerset Trojans and North Village entered last night’s Premier Division encounter on a high on the back of ‘derby day’ victories, but in the end, they would have to settle for a share of the points to close out the last game of 2021.

Nathan Rego opened the scoring for the Trojans at Somerset Cricket Club as early as the fifth minute, when he was put through by Jeze Butterfield and kept his composure to place his shot between Village goalkeeper, Omar DeShields and the near post without breaking stride.

Village nearly equalised shortly afterwards, as Trojans’ sgoalkeeper Jade Morrissey misjudged a cross from an inswinging corner, under a challenge from Jalen Harvey with the ball landing at Harvey’s feet. However, he could only poke the ball against the upright before it was cleared to safety.

Village kept the pressure on and thought they had scored when Demitre Daniels’s low cross eluded defender Marquel Nisbett-Tankard’s foot and fell to Jared Richardson, who dribbled around keeper Morrissey before shooting. They were again denied as Richardson’s shot was saved off the line by a recovering Malik Joell.

The visitors would finally breach the Trojans’s defence near the end of the half courtesy of another corner.

The inswinger was flicked on at the near post for Rai Simons to get off a glancing header, which sailed into the back of the net despite the best effort of two Trojans defenders.

The second half saw the Trojans showing more energy and enthusiasm in their play.

Justin Corday made a forceful run through the midfield before drilling a shot which sailed inches over the crossbar and later troubled DeShields with a firm drive, which bounced off the keeper’s chest.

Daniels was able to beat Morrissey with a low shot only to have Khari Sharrieff-Hayward clear off the goalline.

Each team would have one last threatening attempt before the final whistle.

Leo Burgess ran onto a through ball and hit a thunderous shot, which missed the upright by inches, before Simons hit a low free kick that caused a goalmouth scramble before being cleared to safety.

Despite the draw, Trojans’s coach, Jomar Wilkinson was satisfied with his teams’s performance.

“I was pleased with the result but I felt we could have came away with all three points,” Wilkinson said.

“We got the tactics right and had a much better second half. We just need to take our chances but in the end, one point is better than none at all,” he said.

The point moves both teams away from the relegation zone.

SCORERS

Somerset Trojans: N Rego 5

North Village Rams: R Simons 38

TEAMS

Somerset Trojans (4-2-3-1): J Morrissey 6 ‒ K Sharrieff-Hayward 6, M Nisbett-Tankard 5, J Ratteray-Smith 6, M Joell 6 ‒ J Corday 6, D Ming 6 ‒ L Burgess 6, J Butterfield 6, N Rego 7, J Warner 5 (sub: A Douglas 73). Substitutes not used: D Swan, C Durham, K Brangman, M Henschke, N Durham, R Burrows, A Morrissey. Booked: L Burgess, K Sharrieff-Hayward, D Ming.

North Village Rams (4-2-3-1) – O DeShields 6 ‒ K Knights 5, J Harvey 6, T Fray 6, Z Jennings-Barnett 5 (sub: T Williams 62, 5) ‒ I Simmons 5, V Perinchief 5 (sub: J Smith-DeShields 81) ‒ J Richardson 5, D Daniels 6, J Jennings 5 (sub: J Bell 62, 5) ‒ R Simons. Substitutes not used: O Bothelo, P Smith, S Robinson, L Outerbridge. Booked: J Jennings, T Williams.

Referee: D Parchment (Jamaica)