North Village 1 Somerset 1

The second half of this Premier Division clash was a marked improvement on the first, but still Village looked a shadow of the side that won the league and FA Cup double last season.

Scoreless against Colts a week ago, the Rams were heading for a second goalless draw at Bernard Park after a first half of few chances for either team. And the game took a long time to spring to life as a mostly midfield battle created few clear cut chances.

Dion Stovell of Somerset put an effort wide midway through the first half and then minutes later Damon Ming created an opening for Marvin Belboda at the far post but the winger's header went into the sidenetting with Dwayne Adams covering the angle.

The Trojans brought on striker Dwight Basden for the injured Curtis Grant - who went off with what looked to be a hamstring pull - in the 25th minute and it was the former skipper who finally broke the deadlock and brought the game to life five minutes into the second half.

Basden was quick to pounce on a bouncing ball on the edge of the Village penalty area as captain Michael Hansey and one of his defenders became involved in a mix-up. Basden's perfect lob caught goalkeeper Dwayne Adams off his line and found the back of the net to give the Trojans a deserved lead.

The goal brought the level of the game up a notch and Trojans kept up the pressure with Jawan Thomas receiving a caution for a foul on Ming. From the free kick on the left the ball was driven low and hard into the penalty area by Belboda but no Somerset player was able to get a boot on it before it was cleared at the far post.

Then Basden blasted into the sidenetting after the Village defence was opened by a strong run from Belboda whose speed, along with that of Basden and Ming was starting to cause some problems for the Village back line.

Two saves by Adams off Belboda kept Village in the game as the visitors continued to create the better of the chances.

However their one-goal lead would not hold up as, against the run of play, Village equalised when substitute Jason Davis scored with a low shot into the far corner in the 67th minute.

Village substitute Cornell Castle Jr had the opportunity to cap a memorable 16th birthday when a pass inside the box ran perfectly for him but he hurried his shot wide of the near post.

In the closing minutes Hansey almost snatched all three points for Village when a free kick found him on the edge of the six-yard box but he wasn't able to get off a strong enough shot to trouble keeper Timmy Figureido.

North Village: D.Adams; J.Thomas, M.Dill (J.Davis 47 mins), S.DeShield, M.Hansey, J.Boyles, D.Coddington, D.Jennings, K.Dill (L.Marshall 83 mins), D.Warren, S.Goater (C.Castle 68 mins).

Somerset: T.Figureido; G.Ray, R.Simmons, R.Scott, A.Rahman (J.Bascome 56 mins), T.Davis, S.Riley, D.Ming, C.Grant (D.Basden 25 mins), D.Stovell, M.Belboda (D.Swan 75 mins).

Booked: J.Thomas (Village), R.Scott (Somerset).

Men of the match: D.Adams (Village), D.Ming (Somerset).

Referee: Anthony Mouchette