Dandy Town Hornets 1 Devonshire Cougars 1 (Dandy Town win 4-1 on penalties)

This year’s Friendship Trophy will have a new winner as Dandy Town Hornets avenged last year’s final defeat to oust defending champions Devonshire Cougars at Goose Gosling Field on Saturday night.

With this quarter-final finishing 1-1 after 120 minutes, the Hornets held their nerve to convert all four of their penalties before overseas student and goalkeeper Jaiden Manders saved Jesse Seymour’s twice-taken penalty to lead their team to the brink of victory. Tomiko Goater then planted his spot-kick past Cougars goalkeeper Jerez Eve to set up an intriguing semi-final match against North Village Rams on December 26.

The match started at a fast but non-threatening pace as play was contained in the middle of the park for the first 20 minutes with neither team able to dominate.

Cougars started to string some promising passes together forcing Manders into action as he had to advance of his line to block Elisha Darrell’s attempt after he was put through by Zari Simmons, who was unlucky not to score himself minutes later when he ran onto Darrell’s slick pass only to beat Manders but not the upright as the ball rolled back into play.

Town had Manders to thank for the clean sheet as the teams went into the break scoreless after Manders was called upon one last time when he made a fingertip save from a zinger by Darrell after he was put through by Lejuan Simmons.

Town made a statement of intent immediately from the restart when Cecoy Robinson ran onto a diagonal ball, forcing Eve to rush off his line to make a desperate clearance. Neither team penetrated the other’s defence as Manders, Edry Moore and Terrance Webb held firm for Town while Cougars’ captain Zeko White, Nathan Furbert and Che’Kai Caisey denied any promising attack with the match ending 0-0 after 90 minutes.

Cougars found the opening goal they deserved three minutes into extra time from a good build-up. Domico Coddington made a move down the left flank before his pullback pass found Jecoa Thomas. His diagonal ball at the back post was met by Lejuan Simmons who had the easy task of side-footing pass the advancing Manders.

The Hornets refused to give up and scored in the second period of extra time when late substitute Dante Scraders was at the back post to hit a sliding shot through the legs of Eve to tie the score and send the match into a penalty shootout.

Bermuda international and new signing Daniel Cook opened the scoring for the Hornets followed by Nizigh Spence, Azende Furbert and Tomiko Goater. Chris Caisey was the only Cougars player to score as Bermuda international Lequan Simmons sliced wide before Manders’ heroics all but secured passage into the semi-finals.

A minor melee took place on the field as the match ended resulting in Cougars’ goalkeeper Eve and Hornets’ centre-back Moore receiving red cards.

SCORERS

Dandy Town Hornets: D Scraders 108

Devonshire Cougars: L Simmons 93

TEAMS

Dandy Town Hornets (4-1-4-1): J Manders 9, E Blankendal 6 (D Scraders, 101min), E Moore 6, T Webb 7, D Cook 7 --- A Furbert 7 --- T Goater 6, E Swan 6 (sub: J Richardson-Martin, 74), A Simmons 6 (sub: C Henry, 68 6), N Spence 6 --- C Robinson 6 (sub: K Sharrieff-Hayward, 6 6). Substitutes not used: M Perott, J Johnson, Z Hart, S Darrell. Booked: D Cook, E Swan, E Moore, T Webb, T Goater. Sent off: E Moore.

Devonshire Cougars (4-2-3-1): J Eve 6 --- Che’Kai Caisey 7, Z White 7, N Furbert 7, J Thomas 7 --- Z Simmons 7, J Brimmer 6 (sub: D Daniels, 75), D Coddington 7, Chris Caisey 7, L Simmons 7 --- E Darrell 6 (sub: J Seymour, 99). Substitutes not used: K Darrell, J Wade, J Fox, K Carmichael, N Simmons. Booked: K Steede (Coach). Sent off: J Eve.

Referee: T Simons