Somerset Eagles 3-1 Wolves

Rushaine Murphy scored all three goals to lead Somerset Eagles to consecutive Shield finals with a comeback victory over Wolves at Somerset Cricket Club yesterday.

Jamaican-born Murphy increased his scoring tally on the season to four in style, netting with both feet and his head.

Eagles assistant coach Stephen Burrows said that Murphy’s hat-trick was a product of continued practice.

“He had a great game,” Burrows added. “He works hard on his finishing and it showed today.”

Eagles started off aggressively and with attacking intent but struggled to make it count in the final third early.

They were pegged back on 14 minutes when Sergio Richardson fed Khiari Sharrieff-Hayward on the left and he played a ball across the penalty area.

Eagles full-back Keanu Coddington got his body shape horribly wrong and sliced into his own net.

Wolves had a few half chances to double their lead and Matthew Mello-Cann stung the gloves of Eagles keeper Yizharyah Williams from distance.

Eagles had a chance to equalise midway through the first half when Nathan Rego fed Kanhai Fray in space.

The attacking midfielder cut the ball back for Murphy, whose effort was cleared off the line and Nicholas Massa also had his shot blocked from close range.

Murphy equalised just as Wolves were starting to grow into the game. Tucker Curtis took too long on the ball and the big man up front stole the ball and beat keeper Toran Place with a composed finish from ten yards.

Wolves did not let their opponents dominate after conceding and forced Williams into a few more saves.

Murphy gave Eagles the lead three minutes before half-time when Rego drove a corner in from the left and the striker rose above the Wolves defence and glanced a header past Place.

The first half lacked quality on the whole but Eagles held on to their slender lead despite the solid efforts of the black and gold.

Eagles extended their lead inside fifteen minutes of the restart, with Murphy taking matters into his own hands.

The striker plucked a loose ball out of the air, flicked the ball over his closest challenge and fired a dipping effort that looped over Place into the net.

Wolves pushed hard to get back into the game and made three changes to try to alter the flow of the match.

Antonio Wade, one of those changes on the hour, got into a few dangerous positions and sliced an effort wide after a quick break.

Zico Saltus-Seymour should have put the game beyond doubt after Fray won the ball in a dangerous area but he took too many touches and allowed Wolves to make a defensive challenge and clear the danger.

Wolves had the better of the closing stages and forced Williams into a few reflex saves, including one from a goalmouth scramble, and Khari Sharrieff missed a golden opportunity at the back post.

Eagles substitute K’Tori Butterfield, who came on with five minutes left, was sent off for violent conduct after a scuffle in stoppage time.

The reserve winger was pushed by Wolves young player Tucker Curtis and retaliated with an attempted punch to the face.

Burrows was pleased with the team’s application. “It was a team effort, they stuck to what we asked in training,” he said. “They all worked hard and it paid off.”

Scorers

Somerset Eagles: Murphy 33, 42, 56

Wolves: Coddington 14 og

TEAMS

Somerset Eagles (4-2-3-1): Y Williams 6 – N Massa 7, M Iris-Simmons 6, E Fubler 6, K Coddington 5 (sub: Z Smith 68 6) – M Groves 6, Q Watson 7 (sub: J Gayle 85) – N Rego 6, K Fray 6, Z Saltus-Seymour 5 (sub: K Butterfield 85) – R Murphy 9 (sub: C Henry 85) Substitutes not used: S Hewey, S Wainwright, K Edwards-Butterfield Sent off: Butterfield.

Wolves (4-2-3-1): T Place 6 – J Berkeley 5 (sub: D Botelho 79), A Brangman 6, V Lambe 6, S James 5 – J Hayeem 5 (sub: K Brangman 60 6), M Mello Cann 5 (sub: K Thompson 60 5) – K Sharrieff-Hayward 6, K Sharrieff 5, L Dill 6 (sub: A Wade 60 6) – S Richardson 6 (sub: J Douglas 79) Substitutes not used: K Smith, J Minors Booked: Richardson, Curtis.

Referee: A Francis