Village survived an early onslaught from Somerset to demonstrate their superiority in front of goal and keep pace with the First Division championship challengers at Bernard Park yesterday.

Somerset, chasing an unlikely spot in the Dudley Eve, came out with all guns blazing, peppering the home side's goal with shots only to be repelled by the athleticism of Village goalkeeper Dwayne Adams.

But once Jameiko Jennings had fired Village into a 38th minute lead, Village began to get the upper hand, Jennings, cousin Elliott and Neil Robinson all causing the Trojans rearguard problems with their intelligent running off the ball and confidence on it.

As they assumed the upper hand, the only surprise was that they had to wait until a minute before the end for their second, through substitute Devon Brangman.

However, Trojans surprised Village with the positive nature of their football in the opening minutes, Michael Brangman and Andrew Rahman testing Adams' handling.

And in the eighth minute, Adams had to dive to his left to turn Musceo Hunt's curling free kick round the post.

That wasn't the end of his contribution and he had to be alert to defy Sean Simmons from the resulting corner.

Simmons found the ball at his feet a yard out, but Adams reacted swiftly to block his effort. Moments later, Simmons again found himself in space in the box, but he was dispossessed. Simmons was at the heart of the action, his neat backheel on the halfway line releasing Keion Simmons, whose ball to David Burchall was inch perfect but Burchall was pulled up for an infringement.

Adams blotted his copybook, being called for holding the ball too long by referee Stuart Crockwell, but Somerset failed to take advantage from the free kick.

Then Michael Brangman, way out on the right, spotted Adams slightly off his line and tried a speculative chip which drifted a couple of yards wide.

Adams was then quickly off his line to deny Burchall when Sean Simmons' precise chip put him in the clear.

Village's approach play was neat but lacked punch and they had barely troubled Keenan Tucker in the Trojans goal when they took the lead.

Robinson's corner was headed clear but Jameiko Jennings brought the ball down and fired an accurate shot into the bottom right hand corner.

The goal seemed to settle the home side and Elliott Jennings and Kofi Dill both went close before the break. And although Trojans could never be discounted there was a self-belief about the Red Devils in the second half that suggested there would only be one winner.

Dill almost took advantage of Karl Roberts' short back header in the 70th minute as Trojans became increasingly sloppy.

And only a brilliant clearing header by Rahman denied Jameiko Jennings a second as he prepared to dispatch Elliott Jennnings' excellent cross.

It was left to Devon Brangman, who replaced Sergio Goater after 69 minutes, to have the final say, as he finsihed an excellent move involving Robinson and Michael Hansey.

North Village: D.Adams, M.Hansey, R.Spence, Kofi Dill, J.Thomas, D.Jennings, S.Goater (D.Brangman 69 mins), J.Boyles, E.Jennings, J.Jennings, N.Robinson.

Somerset: K.Tucker, K.Roberts, R.Scott, A.Rahman, D.Burchall (J.Scott 45 mins), D.Woolridge, K.Simmons (S.Mendes 64 mins), M.Brangman, S.Simmons, M.Hunt, A.Tucker (S.Morrisey 80 mins).

Referee: Stuart Crockwell.

Men of the match: Dwayne Adams (North Village ; Andrew Rahman (Somerset).