North Village 1

Somerset Trojans 2

Somerset Trojans have both hands on the Premier Division trophy, now they must wait two weeks until they can be crowned champions.

The international break means the outcome will not officially be decided until April 5, but the league leaders are masters of their own destiny and anything but defeat against Southampton Rangers and the title will be heading back to Silver City for the first time in a generation.

There will be no loss of focus, however, with Dennis Brown, the Trojans technical director, insisting that his side would not let the chance of a first championship since 1993 distract them.

“It’s not over, we still have to run to the finish line, we need to stay focused, stay humble, and prepare hard for the last game,” he said. “Having two weeks is fine, it gives us enough time to prepare and just focus on Southampton Rangers.”

Even in defeat Trojans may still win, their goal difference is marginally better than that of Dandy Town, who trail them by three points, but while Adolphus Lambert’s audacious strike was ultimately the difference yesterday, it should have been just the second of many.

Trojans wasted several golden opportunities to increase their lead, while Troy Hall, the North Village goalkeeper, made several fine saves to keep his side in the game.

It was just unfortunate that Hall came up short when it mattered, although it would be wrong to lay the blame for defeat at Hall’s feet.

Village were unimpressive in all departments, and the goal that Rakeem DeShields scored to pull his side level midway through the first half was the only effort on target they managed all afternoon.

The only bright point, for Bermuda if not Village, was that Keishen Bean looks to be fully fit and should be able to take his place in the national squad for the World Cup qualifier in Nassau, Bahamas next week.

However, the fact he is fit is the best that can be said for Bean, who squandered a host of chances to score yesterday, including firing the ball over the bar from six yards out. In contrast the visiting side took the lead early, when Justin Donawa’s low cross was tapped in by the unmarked Jaz Ratteray-Smith at the back past, and Dion Stovell went close twice, including with an acrobatic volley that flew just wide of the goal.

DeShields equalised when he rose highest to get the merest of touches to a Takeyhi Walker free kick, and might have put his side ahead moments later but Bean got in the way as DeShields shaped to shoot inside the box.

The searing pace of the Trojans team caused Village’s defence problems all game, and it was from a break down the left that Lambert scored, when he whipped in a shot from near the corner flag that a jumping Hall could not get to, and it settled into the far corner. The second half was a scrappy affair, with Village struggling to put any significant passes together, and Trojans wasting opportunities when they presented themselves.

Village might have had better luck if they had pace upfront, but Walker relies on his touch rather than his speed, and Pierre Smith had a poor day all around.

Ratteray-Smith, Donawa, William White, and Tahj Wade, who came on as a substitute, all missed goalscoring opportunities and while Trojans are in the driver’s seat taking any of those chances would have made things far more comfortable for the champions in waiting.