Somerset Trojans 1

Robin Hood 0

Jaz Ratteray-Smith’s second-half strike sent Somerset Trojans to the top of the Premier Division and avenged a recent Friendship Trophy semi-final loss to Robin Hood at Somerset Cricket Club yesterday.

Ratteray-Smith, the midfielder, came on as a 46th minute substitute for Zahkie Iris and scored the winner ten minutes later with a clinical finish that gave Jason Simons, the Robin Hood goalkeeper, absolutely no chance.

Somerset blew an opportunity to kill the game off when Shaquille Bean, the goalkeeper, had a penalty kick saved by his opposite number.

Hood, who were denied a penalty themselves late in the match, were reduced to ten men when central defender Corey Boyce was sent off for a dangerous tackle.

The visiting side pressed on despite of their numerical disadvantage but could not find a way past Trevin Ming, the Somerset captain, and the Trojans’ defence.

Somerset, who lost to Robin Hood in the Friendship Trophy on Boxing Day, took the match to Hood from the kick-off.

Hood packed the middle of the park with players but Somerset still managed to find a way through and should have taken the lead after strikers Malachi Jones and Justin Corday were presented with time and space inside the box.

Fortunately for Hood both Jones and Corday made a hash of their chances when scoring seemed easier.

Jones, who did not enjoy one of his better outings, nearly made amends when he had a header from a set piece saved by Simons while Jensen Rogers, the Somerset full back, had another header from a set piece sail just over the bar.

Hood sat deep and relied on the quick break for long spells early on, but the visiting side began to press as the game opened up and on a handful of occasions threatened to break the deadlock with Shaun Brown and Antwan Russell both testing Bean from long range.

Tevahn Tyrell, the Hood midfielder, was denied a scoring opportunity by the tidy defending of Sean Brangman, while Liam Evans had a 40-yard shot fizz past the upright.

Hood, who finished the first half the stronger of the two teams, had a penalty shout for a handball fall on deaf ears while Russell stung Bean’s palms with a fierce effort from close range that the latter did well to push around the post.

Hood enjoyed the better of the early exchanges in the second-half but were rocked back on their heels when Ratteray-Smith ran onto Leo Burgess’s defence splitting pass and whipped the ball past Simons from an angle.

Before the dust had settled Somerset were awarded a penalty after a Hood defender handled the ball in the box.

Bean buried his initial penalty, but his effort was waved off as referee Lyndon Raynor had not given the signal for the player to take the kick.

Bean’s second attempt was saved by Simons, much to Hood’s relief.

Simons’ heroics kept his team in the match but they were dealt a heavy blow when Boyce floored Burgess with a reckless tackle and was sent off.

Somerset tried to cash in on their numerical advantage, but Hood continued to carve out opportunities in search of a late equaliser.

Hood went for broke, sacrificing defender Phillipe Froncioni to bring on another forward in Miles Brewer who made an immediate impact when he forced Bean to make brilliant save.

Hood arguably should have been awarded a penalty when Russell was fouled in the box. But referee Raynor instead awarded a free kick on the edge of the area that Russell blasted into the wall.