BAA 0 Robin Hood 3

Liam Evans, the Robin Hood midfielder, marked his debut with a stunning goal to help his side defeat BAA Wanderers in the first round of the FA Cup at Goose Gosling Field last night.

The Saltus schoolboy curled a unstoppable effort into the top corner via the underside of the bar for Hood’s second goal of the tie on the half-hour mark.

Hood had taken the lead on 23 minutes when burly striker Miles Brewer fired a rebound past BAA goalkeeper Phillip Couto, who could only parry a powerful drive from Marcelos Thomas.

Defender Alex Martin made sure of the victory with a tap in on 57 minutes after Thomas’s long range effort had cannoned inviting back off the post.

Kyle Lightbourne, the Hood coach, singled out Evans for special praise for his workaholic performance in the heart of midfield and believes he could be one to watch.

“Liam certainly gave us a lot of energy tonight and it was a very pleasing debut for him,” Lightbourne said. “He’s only a young guy, still goes to school at Saltus, and was part of the Valencia coaching programme they have down there, which sort of acts as our youth set-up.

“Timmy Figureido [the former Bermuda goalkeeper and Hood assistant coach] teaches at Saltus and made sure he signed for us before someone else snapped him up. He definitely looks to have something about him.”

Brewer, who also impressed ploughing a lone furrow up front, came close to opening the scoring early on when volleyed against the crossbar from a dangerous Thomas cross from the right.

BAA were struggling to play their customary passing game against their more physical opponents, rarely troubling the Hood goal, although Raequen Rodchester did come close to reducing the deficit, hitting the post with a strike from distance.

In truth, Hood could have won by a greater margin as BAA become increasingly frustrated with Jesse Kirkland, the Olympic sailor, flicking a one-on-one opportunity inches wide and Evans almost scoring his second with another opportunist effort that Couto did well to push away.

“We know BAA like to pass the ball and we managed to throw them off their stride early on,” added Lightbourne.

“We also scored at the right time before we could start thinking that it might not happen for us.

“It’s been a good season for us in the league and it would be nice if we could draw a Premier Division club in the next round.”

Hood’s game against BAA was a rearranged tie after Saturday’s match was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.

The FA Cup replay between St Georges and X-Roads has been scheduled for Thursday at Devonshire Recreation Club at 8pm.