Somerset Trojans 2 Dandy Town 2

Lynn Emery scored a stoppage-time equaliser to earn Dandy Town a draw against Somerset Trojans at Somerset Cricket Club yesterday.

Town took control of the early stages, and young Bermuda player Eusebio Blankendal opened the scoring from a cross-cum-shot, which flew past Trojans goalkeeper Daquan Crockwell in the fifth minute.

Trojans tried to get a foothold in the game, but they could not as Town pressed them high and continued to create chances when they won the ball.

Trojans winger Jaden Ratteray-Smith was shown a yellow card for pulling on the shirt of Jomei Bean-Lindo in the 26th minute.

Later in the first half, Town started to control possession, and should have doubled their lead on numerous occasions. Angelo Simmons missed the clearest chance when he struck over the bar from just outside the six-yard box.

Trojans midfielder Jeze Butterfield was shown a yellow card for a hard tackle on Blankendal in the 33rd minute.

Trojans finally created a chance of note late in the first half, with Keith Jennings shooting straight at Town goalkeeper Seion Darrell.

Later in the half, midfielder Ratteray-Smith had to be treated for a slight ankle knock after a hard tackle by Bean-Lindo.

Trojans started the second half as they finished the first, on the front foot.

They were rewarded with the equaliser seven minutes after the restart, with young winger Zaire Smith delivering a precise cross. Jennings acrobatically volleyed the ball into the far corner past Darrell.

Trojans made an attacking substitute in anticipation of winning the game, bringing off defender Richard Quinn for attacking midfielder Jaellan Greaves in the 58th minute.

Town countered with a substitute of their own a few minutes later, with Jahkari Furbert replaced by Emery in the 61st minute. By this stage, Trojans were controlling the game and creating the clearest chances.

Dennis Brown, the Trojans coach, made a second change in quick succession, bringing on D’Andre Wainwright for Butterfield in the 62nd minute.

Trojans went ahead with another attack a minute later, when a ball played forward by Ratteray-Smith eluded the Town defence and Leo Burgess latched on to it and placed it past Darrell. Town then brought off Clay Darrell for Jahnazae Swan in the 80th minute.

Trojans responded by bringing off striker Jennings for Damon Swan a few minutes later.

Burgess had a chance to double Trojans’ lead, but he skied his shot six minutes from time.

Trojans defender Jahquille Stowe received a late yellow card for time wasting from a free kick. Referee Anthony Francis gave three minutes of stoppage time for the few injuries in the second half, but the game went far beyond that.

Hornets capitalised by creating a few wonderful opportunities in the last moments of the game.

The first one fell to Edry Moore, but his powerful shot was well saved by Crockwell.

The second one put the visiting side back on terms with the last kick of the game.

A corner was whipped in by substitute Swan, flicked on at the back post by Simmons, and touched in by Emery in the seventh minute of added time.

SCORERS

Somerset Trojans: Jennings 52, Burgess 64

Dandy Town: Blankendal 5, Emery 90+7

TEAMS

Somerset Trojans (4-4-2): D Crockwell — R Quinn (sub: J Greaves 58min), J Stowe, T Ming, K Sharieff-Hayward — J Butterfield (sub: D Wainwright 62), J Ratteray-Smith, M Joell, Z Smith — K Jennings (sub: D Swan 82), L Burgess. Substitutes not used: T Sharieff-Hayward, C Durham, N Brockington. Booked: J Ratteray-Smith, J Stowe.

Dandy Town (4-4-2): S Darrell — E Moore, E Trott, J Chapman, J Bean-Lindo — E Blankendal, J Furbert (sub: L Emery 61), O Lowe, A Furbert — C Darrell (sub: J Swan 80), A Simmons. Substitutes not used: M Aden, N Smith, J Richardson-Martin. Booked: J Furbert.

Referee: A Francis.