North Village 2

Somerset Trojans 2

North Village Rams advanced to the semi-finals of the Dudley Eve Trophy after sharing the spoils with Somerset Trojans at Devonshire Recreation Club last night.

Village have picked up four points from their two group games, having defeated Hamilton Parish 3-2 on Monday at Bernard Park, leaving Ralph Bean, the Village coach, satisfied by their start to the season.

“We knew that a point would be enough and in the last ten minutes we told the players to be mindful of that and be careful not to over-attack,” Bean said.

“We showed a bit of character and determination to come back twice, but it was a bit disappointing because I felt we literally gifted them two goals.

“It’s early days but you always want to get off on the good foot and we’re undefeated in two games, so I can’t complain.”

Leo Burgess, the Trojans winger, opened the scoring in the seventeenth minute, cutting inside from the left wing and steering his shot past Troy Hall Jr, the Village goalkeeper.

The Rams nearly responded straight away with Keishen Bean, the club captain, forcing his way through the heart of the Trojans defence before squirting his effort just wide.

Bean then had another chance to give the scoreline parity, jinxing into the Trojans area but his left-foot shot took a deflection for a corner kick.

Village did manage to find a leveller in the 43rd minute when Jonathan Briers, the midfielder, reacted the quickest after Tyrell Burgess’s towering header from a corner was parried by Shaquille Bean, the Trojans goalkeeper.

Disappointingly for coach Bean, his side were unable to reach the interval on level terms, with Tahj Wade, Trojans’ live wire striker, restoring his side’s lead with a superb virtuoso strike on the stroke of half-time.

After the break both teams continued to threaten, with Jaz Ratteray-Smith, the Trojans winger, looking particularly dangerous, going close with a pair of half-chances before Bean equalised for Village with a deflected shot on 58 minutes.

Village almost found a late winner when Burgess, who returned to the starting line-up after missing Monday’s match against Parish, striking the top of crossbar with a free kick.

Trojans should be reasonably satisfied with their night’s work, despite surrendering the lead on two occasions, knowing that all they have to do is avoid defeat by Parish at Police Field next Saturday to reach the last four.

In the other group-stage match to come, Flanagan’s Onions will have to do the same against Dandy Town, to advance to the semi-finals.