Royal Bermuda Regiment 0 Robin Hood 1

Ross Probert’s goal midway through the first half was left to stand as the winner as Robin Hood lifted the Corona League Cup with an exciting victory in the final at Goose Gosling Field last night.

Hood, who beat undefeated league champions Footy Kings to win their group, still had chances to increase their lead even after they went down to ten men in the 63rd minute when defender Luke Hyland was sent off for a second yellow card.

Still Hood went close to extending their lead, as the Regiment tried hard to find an equaliser against a Hood defence that stood firm.

“I think the boys fought hard for it, we went down to ten men at 1-0 so that made it a little bit difficult, but at the end of the day they all put their heart into it,” said Alex Belvedere, the Hood coach.

“We had a good cup run, we beat Footy Kings, who were undefeated in the league, and then defeated YGS, who finished second. I thought we had the hard group but at the end we pulled it off. We finished fourth in the league and the Regiment finished fifth.

“I thought we could have put it away a lot sooner, it could have been 2-0 or 3-0 but 1-0 got the job done and we get to celebrate.”

The season awards were presented afterwards in the clubhouse.

Regiment thought they had scored in the twelfth minute when a shot from 30 yards by Blenn Bean left the Hood goalkeeper, Matthew Kenny, flat-footed as it smashed off the underside of the crossbar and dropped on the goalline.

Regiment players argued that it dropped over the line, but referee Tracey Adams ignored their appeals, giving only a corner after the ball was eventually cleared.

Regiment created another good chance when Alex Godet brought off a save from Kenny to his left. Moments later a cross into the box was completed missed at the far post by Shakeal Outerbridge as the Regiment enjoyed a good start.

However, things started to change for them in the 21st minute when forward Shea Smith went down inside the penalty box with a hamstring injury and was unable to continue, replaced by Forrest Williams. Regiment had their best chances when he was on the field.

Another blow came two minutes later when Hood broke the deadlock after winger Probert threw himself into a challenge with goalkeeper Treaz Place for a ball into the penalty area and managed to knock the ball into the open goal.

Hood had two good chances late in the first half to extend their lead when left-footed efforts by midfielder Max Skinner threatened from long range, the first in the 33rd minute going just over the bar from 30 yards and the second nine minutes later from 25 yards, which saw Place tip the effort over the top.

Early in the second half, Regiment went close again when Cushaun Evans’s shot was blocked by the goalkeeper after a short cross from Bean on the left side of the box.

Hyland received his first yellow card soon after for a bad challenge on Bean and then in the 63rd minute he got a second yellow card when he sent Rory Dublin crashing to the ground in a harsh tackle.

Play carried on and it wasn’t until a minute later when the ball went out of play that Adams called over Hyland and sent him for an early shower.

Regiment failed to capitalise on the one-man advantage, as Hood still created some good chances, including one that Matthew Madeiros put into the side-netting after a good run down the right.

They had a goal disallowed minutes later for offside against Probert at the far post. Then in stoppage time, substitute Peter Taylor beat the advancing Place to a long ball towards the end of the box but shot wide of an open goal after rounding the goalkeeper.

Player-coach Smith insists Regiment were robbed of a goal with Bean’s effort. “It was a goal, everyone around the back said it was a goal,” he stated.

“They are a more experienced team, they’ve been playing First Division, and as far as I’m concerned for us to make it to the final and push them the way we did is more than I can ask for.

“We didn’t get the result but the guys worked hard. If they were to practise and train on a regular basis as much as every other team, we could dominate the Corona League.”