Trojans close to title finish line
Somerset Trojans are on the verge of their first Premier Division title for 22 years, and only Southampton Rangers stand in their way.
A draw tonight in their final game of the season will be enough to take the league trophy back to Silver City for the first time since 1993, and even defeat may not be enough to stop the celebrations.
Trojans are three points clear of Dandy Town, who play Flanagan’s Onions tonight at Goose Gosling Field, with a marginally better goal difference, but there is little evidence to suggest that the league leaders will be anything but focused on winning in front of their home crowd.
Dennis Brown, the Trojans technical director, has already said as much, insisting that his side would “run hard for the finish line.”
However, Rangers, who are third from bottom, will be running hard too and need to win to guarantee their Premier Division survival. Rangers are a point above Onions, and three above bottom club St George’s Colts, and while a draw would take Rangers out of St George’s reach, it would leave them vulnerable should Onions beat Town.
Onions, meanwhile, have a simple task, they must win against a side that they will face in the FA Cup final at the National Stadium on April 12 and who beat them 5-3 in the league in November. Victory would give Onions a chance of staying up, as long as either Rangers, or North Village, failed to win.
A draw, or defeat, and Mick Ward’s side will fall back into the division they escaped from in 2012.
Village are level on points with Rangers, but have a far superior goal difference, and it would need a strange set of results for the men from Bernard Park to find themselves relegated to the First Division.
Ralph Bean Jr’s side take on Devonshire Cougars in tonight’s third game, with Cougars sitting comfortably in mid-table after a largely unimpressive season.
St George’s, meanwhile, could find themselves relegated without kicking a ball. They do not play until Sunday, when they face Robin Hood at home, and will either have a chance to survive, or will already be contemplating life in the First Division.
Three points adrift of Rangers and Village, and with an inferior goal difference, St George’s must hope that one, or both, lose heavily, giving them a chance to survive if they beat Hood by a big enough margin.
Hamilton Parish travel to PHC Zebras on Sunday, where there is nothing at stake but pride for two teams who harboured title hopes of their own for much of the season.
n Justin Donawa suffered a high ankle sprain against Bahamas, but did not sustain any ligament damage, the Bermuda Football Association said yesterday.