Somerset Trojans 3 Hamilton Parish 0

Somerset Trojans breezed past Hamilton Parish with a comfortable victory in the Friendship Trophy semi-final in front of a healthy Boxing Day crowd at Bernard Park.

Trojans, whose coach Kieshon Smith was facing his former side, opened the scoring in the sixteenth minute through an acrobatic volley from winger Leo Burgess.

It took until the 43rd minute for Trojans to double their lead, but it was well worth the wait with midfielder Justin Corday’s scorching effort from distance nestling into the top corner of Nigel Burgess’s net.

Trevin Ming, the Trojans captain, could not direct his header on target from a Justin Donawa corner kick early in the second half, having missed a similar chance in the first stanza.

Donawa, the Bermuda midfielder, returning home from his studies in the United States for Christmas, then completed the scoring on the hour mark, cutting into the box after beating two defenders and dispatching a low shot past Burgess.

Parish created very little throughout the match, rendering Shaquille Bean, the Trojans goalkeeper, a virtual spectator.

Stovell, the Trojans forward, was enjoying plenty of possession, playing in the whole behind frontman Jonathan Bean, while Donawa continued to cause Parish plenty of problems with his pace down the left wing.

Donawa almost added his second when he fired wide from an acute angle, while Ayshaun Smith, the Trojans substitute, also blazed over the crossbar after cutting inside from a wide position onto his right foot.

Trojans, the defending Premier Division champions, will face the winner of PHC Zebras and North Village who meet in tomorrow’s other semi-final at PHC Field at 2.30pm.

With the final to be staged at Somerset Cricket Club, Ming said the team were determined to make sure they secured their safe passage past Parish.

“It was an incentive to play at the club for the final and make sure we will be up there in front of our own fans,” Ming said.

“We were very confident today and we had a few of our overseas players back. They bring a lot of quality and we were able to do our job.

“We’ve been a bit slow in the league this season so we definitely want to get this trophy and hopefully that sets us up for the rest of the season.”