Jahmal Samuels' first goal of the season in the 49th minute finally settled this ill-tempered match at Frog Lane field as Somerset Eagles went down fighting -- literally.

Eagles had a psychological edge after preventing Colts from scoring in the first half, but things turned around after Samuels' goal.

It came after Mark Ray's shot was deflected for a corner on the left. From the corner, Samuels squeezed the ball in at the far post, referee Frank Drayton adjudging the ball had crossed the line before a defender booted it out.

Had it not been for some important saves by Eagles goalkeeper Tyrone Simons, Colts would have won by a bigger margin.

In the 55th minute, Derek Wright used a one-two to get through the Eagles defence but Simons made a good save to concede a corner.

Three minutes later, Ray lifted a shot high over the goal from a good position after Craig Smith had squared the ball back on the left.

Eagles should have had an equaliser on the hour when Sam Maybury intercepted a pass, laid on a short pass to Gladstone Wade and then turned and chased the return pass, which gave him a clear run on goal. He was denied by the advancing Andre Hendrickson as he tried to slide the ball under his body.

The Second Division side played with plenty of confidence even though top scorers Everett Wellman and Terrence Christopher failed to click up front.

In the 63rd minute, full-back Oscar Riley pushed forward and put a left-foot shot just wide of the far post from 20 yards.

The right-back was also called upon to make an important clearance at the other end when Quincey Aberdeen's cross from the right almost landed at the feet of Ellington Weldon.

Colts were denied an insurance goal in the 70th minute when linesman Peter Sousa adjudged that Aberdeen's firmly-struck shot from outside the area did not cross the line. The effort went through the hands of Simons, hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced as Colts appealed for a goal.

Eagles, coming into the game on a three-game losing streak, had to be pleased with the way they kept out their opponents in the first half. Colts had the better chances though Eagles went close midway in the half when Wellman's cross went untouched in front of an open goal.

Two Eagles players were booked, 'keeper Simons for handling the ball outside the area as he challenged Leonard Hypolite. From the resulting free kick from Ray, Simons dove to his left to make a good save.

The best chance of the half fell to full-back Anthony Wilson who found himself free of the Eagles defence but hurried his shot wide.

The match came to a tense finish when substitute Kenny Basden was booked in the 86th minute for retaliating against Robert Tota.

Basden's dismissal soon after and the incident that followed, which involved both Kenny and Anthony Basden and linesman Richard Knight, ensured the match would be remembered for the negative aspects of local soccer.

Devgonshire Colts: A.Hendrickson; D.Williams (A.Zuill 86 mins), D.Wright, J.Samuels, A.Wilson; R.Tota, L.Hypolite, M.Ray; Q.Aberdeen (K.Smith 84 mins), E.Weldon, C.Smith.

Somerset Eagles: T.Simons; E.Callendar, W.Wellman, T.Smith, O.Riley; S.Maybury (K.Basden, 68 mins), G.Wade, W.Iris, T.Christopher, D.Minors (S.Burrows, 77 mins), E.Wellman.

Referee: Frank Drayton.

Men of the match: Jahmal Samuels (Devonshire Colts); Tyrone Simons (Somerset Eagles).

TOO LATE -- Devonshire Colts' Craig Smith gets in his shot before this Somerset Eagles defender can close in.