Youth give Colts extra push
Two goals in extra time by youngters Keishon Smith and Quincey Aberdeen proved to be sufficient enough to clinch victory for Devonshire Colts in this FA Cup semifinal at PHC Stadium on Saturday night.
The victory put Colts in the FA Cup final against Boulevard on April 11. They are already in the final of the Friendship Trophy final against North Village on Friday night.
The often pulsating game saw experienced cup fighters Trojans through Kwame Tucker pull a goal back just after the crafty winger Aberdeen had made it 4-2, but the west-enders just did not have enough to halter the cultured challenge of their young opponents.
The fact that Trojans' goalkeeper Winslow Williams was outstanding despite allowing four goals only shows just how hot the Colts attack was on the night.
Thanks to countless, dramatic saves by Williams, the league champions were able to offer a formidable challenge right until the end.
Williams threw his body around like a magician, making at least five sensational stops alone in the opening half. And when play restarted after the interval he followed up and made several more text-book stops.
There was excitement right from the opening whistle when Colts quickly underlined their supremacy. Williams was brought into the act after just three minutes when he saved a fierce shot that Colts' skipper Craig Smith rifled into his chest from 16 yards out on the right.
Five minutes later, with Colts still in full command, the inevitable opening goal came just after Williams had palmed away a hard shot by Ellington Weldon.
It was from the resulting inswinging Craig Smith corner that Colts scored, as Williams could only help the ball into goal in an attempt to clear.
Despite the setback Williams remained sharp and he soon proved he had recovered by brilliantly punching another fine drive by Weldon from 14 yards away for a corner five minutes later.
Slowly, confidence entered into the Trojans' game and they began to advance deep into Colts' half. After 27 minutes Rodney Bascome took advantage of a lapse in the defence as they struggled to make a quick clearance and the forward was in position to score from close in.
Colts though pushed forward soon afterwards and again it was that man Williams denying them once again. This time he was in the right position to block a hard, angled drive from skipper Smith after 31 minutes. Four minutes later Williams again showed great agility by saving a Weldon shot from 14 yards.
But the Trojans stunned their opponents four minutes from the half when Anthony Burchall scored one of the best goals of the game, powerfully heading the ball home from 12 yards after Kwame Tucker made a bewildering run down the left wing before making the accurate cross.
For the first time in the game the Trojans threatened to put the result out of reach when they took the upper hand within five minutes of the restart.
Defender Larry Simmons came close when he headed a Reggie Tucker corner right at goalkeeper Andre Hendrickson, then striker Billy Kirkpatrick followed up by firing just over from 14 yards.
However, before the Trojans could do any further damage, Colts drew level when Aberdeen scored from close range after the defence failed to clear.
Play see-sawed afterwards with Larry Simmons heading a Trevor Dickinson free kick over the bar and then Kwame Tucker creating an opening for Bascome only to see the latter put his shot over as well.
After 71 minutes, Hendrickson kept Colts in the game when he brilliantly saved a 16-yard blast from Bascome. Then Colts counter-attacked and forced Larry Simmons to clear a Weldon header off the line.
Kirkpatrick finished the regulation period by putting a 17-yard effort just over for the Trojans with a minute left.
The first period of extra time saw only one clear chance created and Colts' substitute Keishon Smith was in position to head home a Craig Smith corner after 93 minutes to put his team ahead 3-2.
Skipper Smith then forced Williams to palm away a hard shot after 106 minutes and Weldon followed this up by putting another shot over from just inside the box.
After 108 minutes Weldon and Aberdeen combined and the latter scored from close in following a cross from the right to put Colts up 4-2. But within six minutes Kwame Tucker made it 4-3 when he netted from close in.
Williams finished the game with an astonishing save from a Weldon header.
Somerset: W.Williams; B.Simons, P.Place, T.Dickinson, L.Simmons; R.Simmons, R.Tucker, A.Burchall (A.Thomas, 101 mins); R.Bascome, B.Kirpatrick, K.Tucker.
Devonshire Colts: A.Hendrickson; D.Williams, D.Wright, J.Samuels, A.Wilson; K.Burchall (J.Belboda, 77 mins), M.Ray, L.Hypolite (K.Smith, 86 mins); Q.Aberdeen, E.Weldon, C.Smith.
Referee: Frank Drayton.
Men of the match: Winslow Williams (Somerset); Craig Smith (Devonshire Colts).
The Crystal Palace Youth Cup semifinal saw Somerset edge North Village 2-1 with all goals coming in the second half. Rodre Wilson and Keion Simmons scored for Somerset while Kevin Simpson netted for North Village.